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without any apprehension of defeat. It appears, however, that after one or two conferences, he retired from the field; and, not liking to own himself vanquished, gave out that he did not choose to waste his time in disputing with a boy. This came to young Usher's ears, and he wrote a letter to Fitzsymonds, in which, after making a reference to the battle between David and the Philistine, he proceeds, "I would fain have you know, that I neither came then, nor now do come unto you, in any confidence of any learning that is in me, in which respect, notwithstanding, I thank God I am what I am; but I came in the name of the Lord of Hosts, whose companies you have reproached, being certainly persuaded that even out of the mouths of babes and sucklings he is able to show forth his own praises." And then, after proposing that the discussion should proceed as at first intended, he concludes his letter by "praying the Lord that both this and all other enterprises that we take in hand may be so ordered as may most make for the advancement of his own glory and the kingdom of his Son Jesus Christ."

The discussion does not appear to have been renewed; but that the jesuit had not a mean opinion of his opponent's talents may be inferred from an admission which he afterwards made in one of his works. "There came

to me once," he says, "a youth of about eighteen years of age, of a ripe wit, when scarce, as you would think, gone through his course of philosophy, or got out of his childhood, yet ready to dispute on the most abstruse points of divinity." And at a later period he confessed that Mr. Usher was a profound scholar, and pronounced him "the most learned person out of the catholic church."*

* Acatholicorum doctissimus.

In due course Usher took the degree of bachelor of arts; and, in the year 1600, he proceeded to that of master of arts, being then twenty years old. In the same year he was appointed catechist-reader in the college, the duties of which office he discharged with manifest advantage to his pupils and credit to himself.

Thus far, then, we have followed him in the prosecution of his studies, and have seen reason to believe that he was endued with more than the ordinary talents of his contemporaries, and that hitherto he had not gone into the field of enquiry without gathering such fruits as he could turn to good account. But we may know more than this. There is evidence that he felt the importance of religion being in the heart as well as the head.

He had been much impressed by some of the books which were put into his hands, and was careful from his youth up to sanctify the Lord's day. From the age of fourteen he had received the holy communion, and it was his custom to devote the preceding afternoon to the exercises of prayer, reflection, and self-examination.

At this early period of his life, he was collecting from various sources, and arranging in their proper order, those papers which were afterwards published under the title of A Body of Divinity, and through which there breathes an exalted reverence for the eternal Jehovah, a settled belief in the great evangelical doctrines of the atonement and grace, and a fervent spirit of devotion.

Dr. Bernard informs us that, "by reason of the scarcity of preachers," even in Dublin, "three young men of the college" were appointed to preach in Christ Church cathedral before the State; and that amongst these was Mr. Usher, who was desired to treat of some of the popish But he soon after desisted, from a conviction of the impropriety of thus ministering in public, without

errors.

having received ordination. His manner, however, of performing the duty thus imposed upon him, and his lectures as catechist-reader, seemed to hold out such promise of his usefulness as a divine, and his character as a christian seemed now to be so well established, that his friends importuned him to defer no longer to offer himself a candidate for holy orders. He appears to have hesitated at first to comply with their wishes, on account of his youth. But after a while he determined to devote himself to the service of his Master and Saviour, and was set apart for that sacred purpose by his uncle, the archbishop of Armagh.

He did not, however, undertake a parochial charge, to which his avocations in the college would not have permitted him to attend sufficiently; but resumed his former course at Christ Church, or, according to Dr. Bernard, at St. Catherine's; and, as the papists were about that time constrained to attend protestant places of worship, (from a notion that the people might thus be made of one heart and one mind,) he is said to have handled the subject with so much force and prudence as to settle the faith of many waverers and to convert several papists from superstition to the truth.

Mr. Usher's reputation as a scholar and a divine was now well established; and his general knowledge of literature was so highly appreciated, that when, in 1603, the English army in Ireland subscribed 18007. towards the library of the University, he was appointed to accompany Dr. Chaloner, another of the fellows, to London, and in conjunction with him to lay out that sum to the best advantage. It is singular enough that, while executing this commission in the English metropolis, they chanced to meet sir Thomas Bodley, who was also in search of scarce and valuable books for his newly

erected library in the University of Oxford. Mr. Usher's character and merits prepared the way for still further advancement. Dr. Loftus, the archbishop of Dublin, and formerly Provost of the College, made him Chancellor of St. Patrick's Cathedral; and, as the emoluments of this preferment were derived from the parish of Finglas, Mr. Usher thought fit to endow the vicarage, and made a point of preaching there every Sunday, as well as in his course at the cathedral. This addition to his income enabled him to increase his library.

In 1607, Camden the antiquary was in Dublin, gathering materials for the description of that city, which he afterwards printed in the last edition of his Britannia. He concludes that account by stating, that he owes most of his information to "the diligence and labour of James Usher, Chancellor of St. Patrick's, who in various learning and judgment far exceeds his years.”

In the same year he took the degree of bachelor of divinity, and soon afterwards at the early age of twentysix, was chosen professor of divinity in the University, the duties of which important office he discharged with zeal and usefulness during thirteen years.

Surrounded as he was by popery, and now holding a conspicuous place in the front ranks of protestantism, we need not be surprised to learn that the professor's efforts were mainly directed to give stability to the reformed religion, which he successfully identified with the faith originally delivered to the saints.

His literary tastes induced him to visit England in the year 1609, for the purchase of books and the conversation of learned men. This visit he afterwards repeated about once in three years, when he usually passed a month at Oxford, another at Cambridge, and the remainder of his time in London; and wherever he went,

he obtained access to the best public and private collections.

As he possessed an income adequate to his wants, and was unwilling to admit of any encroachments being made upon his hours of study, he declined to accept the provostship of the college, fearing that the duties of that situation would expose him to many interruptions.

In 1613, the thirty-second year of his age, he took the degree of D.D. and amongst the preparatory exercises read two lectures, one on Dan. ix. 24, the other on Rev. xx. 4; and in these he took occasion to explain those texts, "so misapplied by the Millenaries, both in elder and later times."

Among the memorials which remain to us we look in vain for any particulars relative to this period of his life, except such as are connected with his learned occupations. On that point, however, we find sufficient evidence that he was engaged in investigations of material importance to the Church of Christ. In the year 1614, being in London, he published his first Treatise on the State and Succession of the Christian Churches. This work was distinguished by being prefaced with laudatory verses by the learned Casaubon and Scultetus, and was presented by archbishop Abbot to King James, as the first fruits of the university of Dublin.

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The design of this work was to answer the objection of the papists implied in their enquiry, Where our religion was before Luther.' And he proves from authors of undoubted credit, that even in the darkest and most ignorant times, Christ has always had a visible Church, untainted with the errors and corruptions of Romanism, and that these islands do not owe their christianity to Rome. This learned disquisition has been of great service to all later writers; its main positions have never

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