The Art of Prophesying

And the Calling of the Ministry

Author

William Perkins

Category Church & Ministry, eBooks, Pastor's Special, Puritan Paperback Specials, Puritan Paperbacks

Series Puritan Paperbacks

The Art of Prophesying by William Perkins

Look Inside

Binding

Clear

Add to wishlist

Weight	0.46 lbs
Dimensions	7.13 × 4.75 × 0.5 in
ISBN	9781800401037
Binding	Paperback, eBook (ePub & Mobi), Paperback & eBook (ePub & Mobi)
Topic	Preaching & Teaching, Pastoral Theology/Pastoral Helps
Original Pub Date	1592, 1605
Banner Pub Date	Sep 10, 2021
Page Count	232
Format	Book
Series	Puritan Paperbacks

Book Description

Few things are more evident in contemporary churches than the decline in the importance attached to what is said from their pulpits. The deeper tragedy is that in many places the church has become a valley of dry bones. Something is needed to waken the dead and to breathe new life into the people of God. William Perkins (1558-1602) provides basic guidance to help all Christians to read and use the Bible intelligently. He has a particularly powerful message for those who lead God’s people and especially those who preach.

The Art of Prophesying carries sparks capable of igniting a preacher. It should be beside every minister’s desk as a book to turn to again and again.

Review

Review by Andrew S. Ballitch

Table of Contents Expand ↓

	Foreword	vii
	THE ART OF PROPHESYING
	Preface	3
	Introduction	5
1	The Art of Prophecy	7
2	The Word of God	9
3	The Contents of Scripture	12
4	The Interpretation of Scripture	22
5	Principles for Expounding Scripture	29
6	Rightly Handling the Word of God	46
7	Use and Application	52
8	Varieties of Application	61
9	The Use of the Memory	66
10	Preaching the Word	68
11	Public Prayer	73
	Summary	75
	THE CALLING OF THE MINISTRY
	Introduction	79
1	The Titles of True Ministers	81
2	The Scarcity of True Ministers	89
3	The Ofﬁce of True Ministers	97
4	The Blessing of the Work of True Ministers	104
5	The Commission and Authority of True Ministers	110
	Introduction	117
1	The Vision of God	121
2	Divine Consolation	150
3	Renewed and Recommissioned	168

Testimonials

Submit your testimonial

Jonathan Morse – April 17, 2026

“The Art of Prophesying” by William Perkins is really two volumes in one. The first volume, which shares the paperback’s title of the “Art of Prophesying”, deals more with proper hermeneutics and preparation for preaching, while the second volume titled “The Calling of the Ministry” deals more with the calling and responsibility of the shepherd at large.

All in all, while the first volume was interesting albeit quite prescriptive, I found the second volume more compelling. Particularly his exposition of Isaiah 6 and the modern implications from the great prophet’s call to ministry. Perkins writes that while a minister’s calling no longer relies on direct revelation as Isaiah’s did, God now ordinarily speaks through the Holy Scriptures, the minister’s own conscience, and through the voice or affirmation of his church.

The heart of Perkins exhortation can best be summed up in his description of the true minister:

“God’s Spirit does not work except on the foundation of the word. What I am stressing is this: a minister must be a divine interpreter, an interpreter of God’s meaning. And therefore he must not only read the book, but eat it. He must not only have the knowledge of divine things flowing in his brain, but engraved on his heart and printed in his soul by the spiritual finger of God. To this end, after all his own study, meditation and discussion, his use of commentaries and other human helps, he must pray with David, ‘Open my eyes, that I may see wondrous things from your law’ (Psalm 119:18).”