The Doctrine of Communicating Worthily in the Lord's Supper
Arthur Hildersham's treatise emerged from his decades of pastoral ministry in Ashby-de-la-Zouch, where he observed both the profound reverence and troubling casualness with which English Protestants approached communion. Writing in the mature Reformed tradition, Hildersham addressed a generation of believers who had inherited the sacramental theology of the Reformation but often lacked practical understanding of how to prepare their hearts and lives for the Lord's Table. His work represents one of the most thorough English treatments of worthy communion in the early seventeenth century.
Hildersham constructs his argument around Paul's warning in 1 Corinthians about eating and drinking unworthily. He distinguishes between the worthiness that no sinner possesses and the spiritual preparation that every believer must undertake. The treatise moves systematically through the nature of self-examination, the proper understanding of Christ's presence in the sacrament, and the fruits that should follow communion. Hildersham argues that worthy participation requires neither perfect holiness nor complete assurance, but rather a sincere heart that grieves over sin, hungers for Christ, and commits to growth in grace. He addresses common pastoral concerns: what to do with doubting believers, how to counsel the scrupulous, and when church discipline should exclude members from the table.
The work became a standard reference for Reformed ministers and laypeople seeking to understand communion preparation. Hildersham's balanced approach—neither presumptuous nor overly scrupulous—influenced generations of Puritan sacramental practice and found its way into many pastoral libraries well into the eighteenth century.
Who should read this: Pastors preparing communion sermons or counseling believers about sacramental participation will find Hildersham's careful distinctions invaluable. Christians from traditions that practice infrequent communion and want to understand the Reformed approach to preparation and participation should engage this work, though those seeking brief devotional thoughts rather than theological depth should look elsewhere.