Born in 1558, William Perkins became known as one of the main leaders of the Puritan movement in the church of England. With his incredible gift of preaching in a simple yet convicting way, he was able to reach some of the most common people with the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
William was born to Thomas and Hannah Perkins in Marston Jabbett, in Bulkington parish Warwickshire. Not much is known about his childhood though as a youth he was known to indulge in drunkenness, profanity, and recklessness. In 1577 he entered Christs College in Cambridge, receiving his bachelors degree in 1581 and his Masters degree in 1584. While still a student he experienced a powerful conversion when he overheard a women on the street scolding her naughty child by saying: "Hold your tongue or I'll hand you over to drunken Perkins yonder!" Perkins became so humiliated that he gave up his wicked ways and turned to Christ for salvation. He gave up his study of mathematics and fascination with black magic and the occult and took up theology. He eventually met up with Laurence Chaderton who became his personal tutor and lifelong friend.
In the 1570's Peter Ramus reformed scholastic arts curriculum by applying it to daily life.
Perkins training in Ramuses method oriented him toward practical skills, making him a popular preacher and theologian. From1584 until his death he served lecturing or preaching at Great St. Andrews Church. He also served as a fellow, preaching, lecturing, and tutoring students at Christ's College. On July 2 1595 he resigned to marry Timothye Cradocke, a young widow. He served as a dean from 1590 to 1591, Thursday afternoons he would catechize the students at Corpus Christi College. He lectured on the ten commandments in a way that deeply impressed the students.
Perkins believed in purifying the established church rather than separating from it. Sadly at the young age of 44, William Perkins died from kidney stone complications leaving his wife of seven years with three young children. James Montagu preached the funeral sermon on Joshua 1:2 “Moses my servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give to them—to the Israelites." He was buried in St. Andrew's, the church which he had pastored for eighteen years.
His writings outsold those of Calvin, Beza and Bulinger combined! After Perkins death over 50 editions of his works were printed in Switzerland and parts of Germany.They were also translated into Italian, Gaelic, French and many other languages. Jonathan Edwards, another well known Puritan was also very fond of Perkins writings and actually said that "the complete works of William Perkins was the best thing written besides the bible. Centuries after his death, many people are still being converted while reading the simple but convicting writings of William Perkins!
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