William Perkins on the preacher's audience

William Perkins, the 16th-century Cambridge theologian, once wrote about the different groups of hearers that comprise an audience listening to a sermon. Perkins was earnestly instructing preachers that their words were being spoken to a diverse audience. Each person within that diverse audience may hold vastly different perspectives. 

While we may at first glance say "duh, everyone has their own convictions", let's slow down a bit and realize that Perkins wasn't referencing personal convictions. Perkins was creating a paradigm of language to help preachers better pray for and preach to their hearers. Perkins wasn't encouraging preachers to pre-judge their audiences regarding specific beliefs on specific topics. He was instead laying a foundation to consider who was in the congregation to receive the declared Word of God. 

The rubric of Perkins could be of immense use to us as believers in the midst of conversations taking place in very heated and historic moments in our lives. The following is addressed to several different audiences out there. I readily share that I've used this paradigm for preaching, and also when interacting in public spaces or in small group conversations. I've also personally benefited from this list as it's given me the language to describe my own heart and mind when hearing a sermon. I'm sharing this resource today to hopefully help you, whether you are a speaker to an audience or a listener in an audience.

The following is a quote from an introductory piece on Monergism about the Puritans (Click here to read the full piece). The book "Meet the Puritans" was originally edited and written by Dr. Joel Beeke and Randall J. Pederson. They have this to say describing Perkins' work in "The Art of Prophesying" and the categories of listeners to a sermon:

"Perkins explains how preaching should be done. He presents the method by which Scripture must be interpreted, sets forth the principles by which Scripture must be expounded, and describes various ways in which Scripture must be applied to various kinds of hearers. Perkins divides listeners into seven categories:

(1) Ignorant and unteachable unbelievers. They need to be prepared to receive the doctrine of the Word by clear, reasonable teaching as well as by reproof and pricking of their consciences.

(2) Ignorant but teachable unbelievers. Perkins says these must be catechized in the foundational doctrines of the Christian religion. He recommends his book written for that purpose, Foundations of the Christian Religion, which covers the subjects of repentance, faith, the sacraments, the application of the Word, the resurrection, and the last judgment.

(3) Those who have some knowledge but remain unhumbled. To them the preacher must especially proclaim the law to stir within them sorrow and repentance for sin, followed by the preaching of the gospel.

(4) The humbled. The preacher must not give comfort to such people too soon, but must first determine whether their humility results from God’s saving work rooted in faith or from mere common conviction. To the partly humbled who are not yet stripped of their righteousness, Perkins says that the law must be propounded yet more, albeit tempered with the gospel, so that “being terrified with their sins, and with the meditation of God’s judgment, they may together at the same instant receive solace by the gospel.” To the fully humbled, “the doctrine of faith and repentance, and the comforts of the gospel ought to be proclaimed and tendered.”

(5) Those who believe. Believers need to be taught the key doctrines of justification, sanctification, and perseverance, along with the law as the rule of conduct rather than as a sting and curse. “Before faith, the law with the curse is to be preached; after conversion, the law without the curse,” Perkins writes.

(6) Those who are fallen, either in faith or in practice. Those who backslide in faith fall in knowledge or in apprehending Christ. If they fall in knowledge, they are to be instructed in the particular doctrine from which they have erred. If they fail to apprehend Christ, they should examine themselves by the marks of grace, then fly to Christ as the remedy of the gospel. Those who fall in practice are those who fall into some sinful behavior. They need to be brought to repentance by the preaching of the law and the gospel.

(7) A mixed group. These people are not easy to categorize because they are a combination of the first six kinds of listeners. Much wisdom is needed to know how much law and how much gospel to bring to them."

Whether I am preaching, listening to preaching, or perhaps praying for the preaching of the word, I have found these categories helpful to think through, consider, and pray for the people who will receive the word declared. 

I hope this is helpful, and informative for you today!