What do you think you are doing when you take the Lord's Supper? Henry Smith Explains

[C. Matthew McMahon]

Many Christians today really are not as clear as they should be on how the Lord's Supper works. They sit, hear the words of institution from 1 Cor. 11, and then eat bread and wine and maybe say a little prayer to themselves thinking they have taken the supper. Often times, they tend to fall into memorialism, and reject the reformed view of the supper. Smith not only aids the reader in understanding the supper, but also demonstrates how transubstantiation is a lie.

A Treatise on the Lord’s Supper – by Henry Smith (1550–1591)


Henry Smith (ca. 1550–1591) was an English clergyman, widely regarded as “the most popular Puritan preacher of Elizabethan London.” His sermons at St. Clement Danes drew enormous crowds, and earned him a reputation as the “Silver Tongued Preacher”.


In this work on the Lord’s Supper, Henry Smith explains 1 Cor. 11:23b-24, “That the Lord Jesus, the same night in which he was betrayed, took bread: And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take eat; this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me.” Smith obliterates the Roman Catholic doctrine of transubstantiation by careful study of the Scriptures, quoting the early church fathers, and showing how the Roman Catholic doctrine (where the bread and wine change into the body and blood of the Lord), is logically impossible and inconsistent.


Smith covers the doctrine of the Supper in two parts: part 1 is an explanation of the doctrine, and part two demonstrates practical steps of examination before partaking of the Supper. Smith explains succinctly such topics as: the fruit we receive out of the sacrament, unworthy reception of the Supper, and most importantly, the art of self-examination.


This is not a scan or facsimile, and contains an active table of contents for electronic versions.

eBook Package at the Puritan Shop (PDF, MOBI and EPub)
A Treatise on the Lord's Supper - by Henry Smith

Kindle Version
A Treatise on the Lord's Supper: Henry Smith: Amazon.com: Kindle Store

Nook Version
A Treatise on the Lord's Supper by Henry Smith | Barnes & Noble

Print Version
A Treatise on the Lord's Supper by Henry Smith (Paperback)

 

[yeutter]

It is good to see Smith's writings getting attention they deserve. Thank you for making him readily accessible. I note that their is considerable confusion as to when Smith was born and when he died. Some say he was born in 1560. Some say he died in 1600, and at least one source puts the date of his death as late as 1613.

 

[C. Matthew McMahon]

I've been concentrating a great deal of my efforts on Westminster Puritans. But there are a few, like Smith, that are exceedingly worth the time (along with Vincent, Byfield and others).

There is some controversy around his death. The safe zone runs 1601 and before. The date on the later date I've found not to be as reliable.

But what does the date tell us? It says Smith was pretty remarkable to be as good a preacher and popular a preacher as he was. He was just after Calvin and at the turn of the century right out of the wake of the Reformation.

I don't think I've read anything by him I didn't think was awesome, and some of his owrks are so good they are worth rereading each year (like this one on the supper, and his work on pride).