expostulate
with the king. When they came, he received them in his closet. Mr. James
Melvil being first in the commission, told the king his errand, upon
which he appeared angry, and charged them with sedition, &c. Mr. James
being a man of cool passion and genteel behaviour, began to answer the
king with great reverence and respect; but Mr. Andrew, interrupting him,
said, "This is not a time to flatter, but to speak plainly, for our
commission is from the living God, to whom the king is subject;" and
then approaching the king, said, "Sire, we will always humbly reverence
your majesty in public, but having opportunity of being with your
majesty in private, we must discharge our duty or else be enemies to
Christ: and now, Sire, I must tell you, that there are two kingdoms, the
kingdom of Christ, which is the church, whose subject K. James VI. is,
and of whose kingdom he is not a head, nor a lord, but a member, and
they, whom Christ hath called, and commanded to watch over his church,
and govern his spiritual kingdom, have sufficient authority and power
from him so to do, which no Christian king nor prince should controul or
discharge, but assist and support, otherwise they are not faithful
subjects to Christ; and, Sire, when you was in your swaddling clothes,
Christ reigned freely in this land; in spight of all his enemies, his
officers and ministers were conveened for ruling his church, which was
ever for your welfare, &c. Will you now challenge Christ's servants,
your best and most faithful subjects, for conveening together, and for
the care they have of their duty to Christ and you, &c. the wisdom of
your council is, that you may be served with all sorts of men, that you
may come to your purpose, and because the ministers and protestants of
Scotland are strong, they must be weakened and brought low, by stirring
up a party against them, but, Sire, this is not the wisdom of God, and
his curse must light upon it, whereas, in cleaving to God, his servants
shall be your true friends, and he shall compel the rest to serve you."
There is little difficulty to conjecture how this discourse was relished
by the king; however, he kept his temper, and promised fair things to
them for the present, but it was the word of him whose standard maxim
was, _Qui nescit dissimulare, nescit regnare_, "He who knows not how to
dissemble, knows not how to reign:" In this sentiment, unworthy of the
meanest among men, he gloried, and made it his con