Christian History Home > Issue 89 > Preachers & Poets
Preachers & Poets
"Though dead, by their writings they yet speak."—George Whitefield
William Barker and Leland Ryken | posted 1/01/2006 12:00AM
William Perkins (1558-1602)
The C. S. Lewis of the Puritan movement
A 17th-century source describes an incident in the prison ministry of William Perkins: A young felon proceeding to the scaffold looked half dead, "whereupon Master Perkins laboured to cheer up his spirits, and finding him still in an agony, and distress of mind, he said unto him, 'What, man? What is the matter with thee? Art thou afraid of death?'
"'Ah no (said the prisoner, shaking his head) but of a worser thing.'
"'Sayest thou so? (said Master Perkins) Come down again, man, and thou shalt see what God's grace will do to strengthen thee.'
"Whereupon the prisoner coming down, Master Perkins took him by the hand, and made him kneel down with himself … when that blessed man of God made such an effectual prayer in confession of sins … as made the prisoner burst out into abundance of tears; and Master Perkins finding that he had brought him low enough, even to hell gates, he proceeded to the second part of his prayer, and therein ... To view this item, you must be a member of ChristianHistory.net.
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