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to confer about that Affair in Mr. Henderson's Chamber 1639: That is, An Act of the Assembly 1647 we concluded by several Ministers in 1639, even seven Years before it was enacted. Our Author tells us this Story from Guthrie's Memoirs. Several of his Readers, and these none of the weakest, have thereby been imposed upon, and thought that our Author told then this Story from one of these eminent Ministers, Mr James or Mr. William Guthrie: But, to undeceived them, I must inform them, that this Guthrie was one Mr. Henry Guthrie, who made a considerable Profession of Zeal for our Reformation before the Year 1662; but at that Time he complied with Prelacy, and received the Bishoprick of Dunheld as his Reward in the Year 1665. I have sometimes made use of his Memoirs for clearing or confirming some historical Facts; but in this Place[1] the Bishop tells us a very inconsistent Story, viz. Some (says he) came from England, who were supposed to favour the Brownistical Way; and others likewise came from Ireland, who had betaken themselves to Conventicles, having forsaken the publick Assemblies of the Church in Ireland: And he tells us, that they set up those Conventicles which they called private Meetings in Scotland; and that they were countenanced by Mr. David Dickson, Mr. Samuel Rutherford others: But that the foundest of the Ministers, Mr, Ramsay, Mr. Alexander Henderson and others (the Bishop thinks fit to name himself among them) were deeply affected with the said Conventicles, doubting that the Course might lead so Brownism, and therefore they purposed to have an Act of Assembly in the Year 1639 against the same; but Mr. Dickson and Mr. Rutherford opposed the Motion, and, instead thereof, moved for a Conference, that Brethren might unite upon the Question; and that hereupon a Conference was held in Mr. Henderson's Chamber, wherein the above-mentioned Conclusion was taken. He likewise reports,
- ↑ Memoirs, p. 67.
