A letter to Mr P. Simson from the Bishop of St. Andrews, together with the requests of the magistrates of Stirling to assist for ‘the planting of the kirk’ led him to make that hazardous journey in the month of February, and to return in such severe weather with frost and snow, that his weak body was not able to resist. His last illness began at the first of March, and he said to his wife “Spouse, this March will make an end to all things.” People saw signs of death in his face, and his wife wrote for his brother Archibald to come from Dalkeith. Being asked before his brother’s arrival to give those present comfort, thinking his end should draw nearer than it did, he said “The manifold graces of God are to be admired, the instructing grace of God, the saving grace of God, the supporting grace of God which may make us persevere to the end; the preserving grace of God begins with us, the accompanying grace of God continues with us, that which He began, the following grace perfects, and crowns it, so all is Grace, Grace, Grace. We have need of this, for we have a vigilant enemy who would draw and tug us backwards.” All the people fearing his hasty departure, thronged in to get his blessing, also many children.
One Christian, Justine, wife of John Row of Dunblane — a good modest person, craved him to bless her and her children, to whom he answered “The Lord multiply all sorts of blessings upon you, and your posterity; and He who upholds weak sinners maintain them from defection in those evil days, which are coming and sustain you by his powerful goodness to the end.” On Thursday 12th March after long meditation he said “Let the dead bury the dead” and being asked what he meant by that, he answered “I leave a dead ministry and a dead people; let them bury one another.” His brother lying in the room said to him in the morning “Christ is to me in life and death advantage” That he said was a sweet sentence to me before, my father spoke it dying.
On Friday 13th March, being a little stronger his brother asked him about the Armenian white mouse he had painted. Mr Patrick answered “The hunters can find no means to take it; but when it is seeking meat, they close the hole with dirt and filth, and she will rather expose herself to the hunter’s hound than be defiled. Such a mouse was Daniel, and “the three children.” He remembered it in the morning and he applied it to his brother Archibald saying they made the Armenian mouse of him. Being asked about the hawk he answered in latin “the hawk only among all fowls flies by a right and straight course upwards. The Lord makes us not to imitate its fierceness, but her straight course to Heaven, and not walk in circular and oblique courses.” Thirdly being asked about a torch painted on the window, his wife answered “ALIAM VIAM NESCIO” at which he smiled. “The torch is painted, both the head upwards and downwards yet always burning upwards; so should Christians” said he “either in prosperity or adversity set their heart to Heaven” Before taking some food he asked this blessing “O Lord fill our hearts with thy love, and our mouths with thy praises.”
On Saturday 14th March, the provost and baillies came to him, to whom he said “Many have sought by their ministry the world, and they got it. The Bishops being exalted by princes, have trod the anointed of the Lord under their feet. I take your conscience to record, that I have been seeking you for Christ, and not yours for myself. And now I leave my wife and bairns among you to the protection and kindness of Lord and Lady Marr, and to the town of Stirling. As you would have my Master whom I have been serving to remember you, so I desire you to care for them” They confessed it was true what he said, and promised to relate it to Lord Marr and to the town. He told his brother that he had no money to leave to his wife, but was leaving her and his family to the Comforter.
Great multitudes from all parts, country and town came on Monday 23rd to be blessed by him which he did with great contentment while he could speak. It was remarkable that when Jean Brown, Robert Forrest’s wife craved a blessing to her children his eyes were dim, yet he said “My bairns I baptized you in the name of the Holy Trinity with water; the Lord’s Spirit baptize you with his secret grace! It may possibly be that ye be baptized with affliction and martyrdom. May the Lord root you in the knowledge of God, and make you constant until the end.” His brother asked what he meant by “they would be martyrs.” He answered “Brother, none enter Heaven but martyrs; he who has it rooted in his heart to suffer for the truth is already a martyr. * His brother then asked him what did he mean by what was written in one of his books “Remember, remember and never forget the 10th August 1601, the consolation the Lord gave you in your own yard at night and actually performed it in the morning.” “Is not this a brand plucked out of the burning” Zech, 3, 2. His first wife Martha Barron, an honest godly woman, was visited with sickness before her departure, and had some fearful spiritual temptations, as many of God’s children before death have not escaped. She opened her mouth in fearful speeches — not only tending to distrust God’s mercies, but in contempt of his holy ministry by which God had saved her. The husband was so moved, that he left the house leaving good Helen Gardiner with his wife, and went to the yard barefooted and bareheaded like David when he fled from Absalom and wept before the Lord. Before 10 at night he came and said “Be of good comfort, before ten hours the brand will be plucked out of the fire” which truly came to pass. At the same hour the Lord changed her speech to His glory, to the comfort of her husband, and to the edification of His people, so that she glorified God marvellously and in the moment of her departure spread forth his hands, and cried “Come Lord Jesus” and instantly departed.
On Wednesday 25th March the old Laird and Lady Kerr and Lady Recartoun came to see him, whom he hardly could discern, but he uttered these words “I thank the Lord who opened my mouth to glorify His holy name” and he blessed them saying “The Lord bless you for ever,” and after their departure he said “O the incomprehensible riches of the Scriptures!”
On Thursday 26th his wife asked “Are you going from me?” He answered “Yes, I change for the better.”
He gradually grew weaker till Tuesday 31st March when without any appearance of pain, he closed his eyes himself and departed happily in the Lord.
from: Select biographies by W.K. Tweedie
* That personal experience, he told to his brother in LATIN