AMES USHER was born in Dublin, in the parish of St. Nicholas, in the year 1580. His father was brought up in the study of the law. His mother, Mrs. Margaret Stanihurst, was perverted to the Romish religion. His grandfather, by his mother's side, was James Stanihurst, three times Speaker of the House of Commons in Ireland; he made the first motion for the founding of a College and University in Dublin. He was Recorder of that city, one of the Masters of the Chancery, and a man of great wisdom and integrity.

At ten years of age Usher's reading of some notes, taken in writing from Mr. Perkins, concerning the sanctifying of the Lord's Day, so affected him, that he was ever after careful to keep it. He then read, in Latin, St. Augustine's Meditations, which so moved him that he wept often in reading them. In five years he was perfectly instructed in grammar, rhetoric, and poetry. At thirteen he was admitted into the College of Dublin, being the first scholar that was entered in it. At fifteen he had made such proficiency in chronology, that he drew in Latin an exact chronicle of the Bible as far as the Book of Kings. About that time he had a strong temptation to fancy that God did not love him, because he had no outward afflictions, or troubles of conscience. His father's intention of sending him over hither to the Inns of Court for the study of the law much disturbed him ; yet, in obedience to his father, he assented. But not long after his father died; and being then at liberty to make choice of his studies, he devoted himself to divinity, and was chosen Fellow of the College.

* Abridged from the Funeral Sermon preached by Dr. Bernard, in Westminster Abbey, April 17th, 1656.

Here was given another occasion of disturbance. His father left him a very good estate in land, but finding he must have involved himself in many suits of law before it could have been settled, to the withdrawing him from his studies, he gave it up to his brothers and sisters, and suffered his uncle to take letters of administration for that end, being in those years resolved to cast himself upon the providence of God, to Whose service in the ministry he had devoted himself, and did not doubt that He would provide for him.

When he was nineteen years old, he disputed with Henry Fitz-Symonds, the Jesuit, in the Castle of Dublin. He offered to dispute with him through the controversies of Bellarmine. The first subject was De Anti-christo (Concerning Antichrist); twice or thrice they had solemn disputations. At about twenty years of age he commenced Master of Arts, and was chosen Catechist of the College. When not yet twenty-one, he was ordained by his uncle, Henry Usher, Archbishop of Armagh.

He regularly came over to England once in three years, and thus spent the summer: one month at Oxford, another at Cambridge, searching the books, but especially the manuscripts, of each University; the third month at London, attending chiefly Sir Thomas Cotton's library, and conversing with learned men, with very many of whom he was intimate. The first Church preferment he had was the Chancellorship of St. Patrick's, Dublin.

When he was twenty-seven years old (A.D. 1607), he commenced Bachelor of Divinity, and immediately after was chosen Professor of Divinity in the University of Dublin. In the year 1612 he commenced Doctor of Divinity. In the year 1613 he published his book, De Ecclesiarum Christianarum Successione et Statu (Concerning the Succession and State of Christian Churches). It was solemnly presented by Archbishop Abbot to King James as the eminent first fruits of that College at Dublin. In the year 1615 a parliament was held in Dublin, and a convocation of the clergy. Articles of religion were then composed and published. He being a member of the synod, was appointed to draw them up.