He joined in a Protest with fifty-four other ministers for the Liberties of the Kirk 27 June 1617,[2] and in the next year at the General Assembly at Perth, he boldly, though not a member, opposed the Five Articles and tendered reasons against each of them.
One of his contemporaries, John Livingstone left a biography which, with some editing and modernising, said:[5] He went as a minister with King James to Denmark, when he went there to fetch home Queen Anna.
He was described as a man rude-like in his clothing, and some of his behaviour and expressions but he was of a deep reach, of a natural wit, very learned, especially in the Hebrew language, who oft wished most part of books to be burnt except the Bible and clear notes on it: one of a most tender loving heart, especially fitted to comfort such as were cast down.
I heard that he told some intimate friends, that having before some children taken away by death, and having a young daughter which he loved dearly who took the disease called scrofula, and had several running sores, especially one great one in her arm, and was at the point of death, so as one night he was called up to see her die: "I went out," said he, "to the fields in the night, being in great anxiety, and began to expostulate with God, in a fit of great displeasure, and said, 'Thou knowest, O Lord, I have been serving thee in the uprightness of mine heart, according to my measure, and thou seest I take pleasure in this child, and cannot obtain such a thing as that at thy hand;' with other such expressions, as I dare not again utter for all the world, for I was in great bitterness, and at last it was said to me, 'I have heard thee at this time, but use not such boldness in time coming, for such particulars;' and when I came back, the child was sitting up in the bed fully healed, taking some food, and when I looked her arm, it was quite healed."
He was by the Bishops deposed, and put from Kinghorn, and lived the rest of his days in the parish of Achterderran, but preached several times in the Edinburgh Castle, at Larbert, and elsewhere.
One time when he came back to me, he said, "Joannes, I have been a rude, stunkard[6] man all my days, and now by this pain, the Lord is breaking-me-in to make me as a lamb before he take me home to himself.