PREPARING FOR THE LORD’S
SUPPER
by George Swinnock, an edited
excerpt from chapter 18 of
“The Christian Man’s Calling,” in Works 1.174–192
The Jews had their preparation for their Passover: “It was the preparation of
the Passover” (Jn 19:14). Nay, they took their lamb the tenth day of the month,
and did not kill it till the fourteenth (Ex 12:3); and, as some of their
writers observe, they tied it all the while to their bedposts, that in the
interim they might prepare themselves for it. Our Lord Jesus, when He was to
eat the Passover, and institute the Supper, would have so much as the house in
which He would do it prepared beforehand (Mk 14:15). The ancient fathers and
primitive Christians used to sit up whole nights at prayer before the Lord’s
Supper, which they call their vigiliæ.
Reader, your care must be to trim your lamp, and make sure of oil in the
vessel, now you are going to meet the Bridegroom. Samuel spoke to the
inhabitants of Bethlehem,
“Sanctify yourselves, and come… to the sacrifice” (1 Sam 16:5); so say I to
you, “Sanctify your soul, and then come to the sacrament.” Joseph prepared
himself, by shaving himself, and changing his raiment, before he went unto
Pharaoh; and will not you prepare yourself by putting your soul into the
holiest posture you can, when you are to go in unto the King of heaven and
earth? He that would make a good meal, even when he is to feast at another’s
cost, must prepare his stomach beforehand by moderate fasting or exercise.
God expects that the hands be pure, but especially that the heart be prepared.
“The good LORD,” said Hezekiah, “pardon every one that prepareth his heart…,
though he be not cleansed according to the purification of the sanctuary” (2
Chr 30:18–19). The king speaks of those who came to the Passover with some
ceremonial pollution, yet had moral purity; and his words are to this purpose:
“Lord, though several of my people have failed in regard of external
purification, let it please Thee to pardon them, if they have minded internal
preparation.”
Friend, there is no hope of remission without this heart preparation; the devil
himself would not come into a house till it was “empty, swept, and garnished”
(Mt 12:44). And do you think that the Lord Jesus Christ will come into your
heart while it lies nastily and sluttishly, before the filth of sin be swept
out, and it be garnished with the graces of His Spirit? Surely that room had
need be richly hung with the embroidery of the Spirit, in which the glorious
and blessed Potentate will sup and lodge. Where your expectation is great from
a person, there your preparation must be great for him. Do you not look, like
Herod, to see some miracle done by Jesus, some extraordinary thing for your
soul? Therefore I say to you, as Joshua spoke to the Israelites, “Sanctify yourselves,
for to morrow the LORD will do wonders amongst you” (Jos 3:5). Oh, sanctify
yourself, and tomorrow—on the sacrament day—the Lord will do wonders for you;
He will feast you at His own table, He will feed you with His own flesh, He
will give you that love which is better than wine, He will embrace you in His
arms, and kiss you with the kisses of His mouth; He will delight your eyes with
the sight of His beautiful person, ravish your ears with the sound of His
precious promises, and rejoice your heart with the assurance of His gracious
pardon. Oh, do but sanctify yourself and tomorrow the Lord will do wonders for
you!
This preparation consists in a serious examination of yourself, and a sincere
humiliation for your sins.
A Serious Examination of Self
“Let a man examine himself, and so” (and no otherwise) “let him eat of [this]
bread, and drink of [this] cup” (1 Cor 11:28). “Examine himself,” [Greek:]dokimazetô:
some take it to be a metaphor of a goldsmith, as he tries gold in the fire
whether it be pure or no; so your duty is to try your graces by the fire of the
Word, whether they be true or not. So the Word is used (cf. 1 Pet 1:7). Others
take it as an allusion to ministers, who are tried whether they are fit for
their office or no (1 Tim 3:10); so you ought to try yourself, whether you are
fit for this ordinance or no.
Your serious examination of yourself must be, first, Of the good in you;
secondly, Of the evil done by you.
Examine the Good in You
Of the good in you, your duty is to examine yourself in
general, concerning your regeneration or spiritual life.
The graces of believers are like sweet perfumes, and scented as far as heaven.
The Lord’s Supper is a sacrament, not of regeneration, but of sustentation.
When the prodigal came to himself, then the fatted calf was killed for him (Lk
15). Men must have natural life, before they can eat natural meat; and men must
have spiritual life, before they can eat spiritual meat. It was an ancient
abuse of the sacrament, cast out by the Carthaginian council, to give it to
dead men. The invitation is not to enemies but friends: “Eat, O friends;… drink
abundantly, O beloved” (Song 5:1). The water of life is only for the thirsty,
and the bread of life only for the hungry. The showbread under the law was to be
eaten only by the priests (Lev 24:9); so the bread of the sacrament is to be
eaten only by such as are spiritual priests unto God, as saints are (Rev 1:6).
Reader, examine yourself therefore whether you are born again or no. Look into
the Word of God, and compare yourself with the characters which are there given
of new born creatures. They are sometimes described by their hearts: “God is
good to Israel,
to such as are of a clean heart” (Ps 73:1). Their hearts are clean, not with a
legal cleanness, which denies the being of sin in them—in that sense “none can
say, I have made my heart clean,” (this spotless robe is reserved for the
saints’ wearing in the other world;) but with an evangelical cleanness, which
denies the dominion of sin over them, (this cleanly garment is the saints’
ordinary attire in this world.) We call river water clean water, though there
be some kind of illness and impurity in it, because it will not, like pond
water, mingle with it, and suffer the filth to rest there, but works it out,
and sends it forth in its scum and froth. Now, how is it with you, friend? Does
sin rest quietly in you? or is it resisted by you? Do you live sin or loathe
sin? Do you count it your pleasure or your poison? When the body is dead,
vermin crawl in it without opposition. When the soul is dead, lusts abound in
it and reign without any considerable disturbance. An unclean heart is quickly
overcome by sin. As when a chimney is foul, it is apt to be fired by every
spark that flies up; whereas, when it is clean, though many fly up, it remains
safe. So when the heart is unclean, Satan can no sooner throw in his fiery
darts, but presently it is in a flame; whereas a clean heart is like wet
tinder, not so soon burning when he strikes fire. Godly men, as they have clean
hearts, so they have “clean hands” (Job 17:9). The hand is the instrument of
action; by clean hands the Spirit of God means clean and holy actings.
Saints are described by their lives. They “walk after the Spirit” (Rom 8:1, 5);
they “order their conversation aright” (cf. Ps 50:23). Physicians feel the
pulse of the arm, that they may know the state of the vitals. Now, how beats
the pulse of your conversation? According to that, judge of the soundness or
sickness of your constitution. Do you walk, in reference to yourself, soberly;
in reference to others, righteously; in reference to God, religiously (Tit
2:12)?
Your duty is to examine yourself in particular also of those graces, which are
specially requisite in a communicant, of your knowledge to discern the Lord’s
body. There is a competency of knowledge needful if you would receive
acceptably. Do you know the threefold estate of man?—his innocency, apostasy,
and recovery; what a pure piece he was, how holy, when he came out of God’s
hands; what a miserable polluted creature he has made himself by disobeying
God, and hearkening to the tempter; what a glorious remedy God has provided to
restore man to his primitive purity. Do you know God as He discovers Himself in
His works, but especially as He is represented in the mirror of His Word? Do
you know the Lord Jesus Christ, His two natures, His three offices, how He
executes them, both in His estate of humiliation and exaltation? Do you know
the nature and end of the Lord’s Supper?
An ignorant person can no more discern Christ’s body than a person stark blind
can discern the bread. God has expressly forbidden lame and blind sacrifices
(Mal 1:8). The hypocrite’s sacrifice is lame, for he halts in God’s way. The
ignorant person’s sacrifice is blind for he can give no account of his own
work. When the leprosy was in the head, the priest was to pronounce the party
“utterly unclean,” and exclude him the camp (Lev 13:44). Do not say, though you
are ignorant, yet your heart is good, when God Himself says, “Without knowledge
the mind is not good” (cf. Prov 19:2). Fish stink first in the head, and then
the whole body putrefies.
Examine your faith. This grace is your spiritual taste, without which you can
relish nothing on the Table. This is the bucket, and if it be wanting, I may
say to you, as the woman to Christ, “Thou hast nothing to draw with, and the
well is deep” (Jn 4:11). This is the hand to receive Christ (Jn 1:12). This is
as the arms whereby we embrace Christ; they “embraced the promises” by faith
(Heb 11:13). As loving friends that have been a great while asunder, when they
meet together, hug and embrace each other in their arms; so the Christian who
longs to see the Lord Jesus Christ in the promises, when at a sacrament he
meets Him, hugs and embraces Him in the arms of faith.
Examine not so much the strength as the truth of your faith. The wings of a
dove may help her to mount up towards heaven, as well as the wings of an eagle.
Try whether your faith be unfeigned (1 Tim 1:5). What price do you set upon Christ?
To them that believe, Christ is precious (1 Pet 2:7). An unbeliever, like the
Indians, sees no worth in this golden mine, but prefers a piece of glass, or a
few painted beads, mean, earthly things, before it; but a believer, like the
Spaniard, knows the value of it, and will venture through all storms and
tempests that he may enjoy it. Do you prize the precepts of Christ, the
promises of Christ, the people of Christ, the person of Christ, (is that
altogether lovely in your eyes?) and the passion of Christ? Is your greatest
glory in Christ’s shameful cross? Do you esteem it above the highest emperor’s
most glorious crown? “God forbid,” says Paul, “that I should glory, save in the
cross of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Gal 6:14).
Does your faith purify your heart? Having their hearts purified by faith (Acts
15:9), the hand of faith, which opens the door to let Christ into the heart,
sweeps the heart clean. Faith looks to be like Christ in glory, and faith
labours to resemble Christ in grace. An unbeliever, like a sluttish woman,
though he keeps the room of his life a little clean, which others daily
observe, yet he cares not how dirtily those rooms of his inward man lie, which
are out of their sight;unbelieving and defiled are
joined together (Tit 1:15).
Examine your love. The primitive Christians kissed each other at the Supper,
which they called osculum pacis (a kiss of peace). They had
their “feasts of charity” (Jude 12). “The bread which we [eat], is it not the
communion of the body of Christ?” (1 Cor 10:16). As the bread is made of many
grains, and the cup of wine of many grapes united, so is the body of Christ of
many members, united under one Head. Eating together was ever a sign of love
and friendship. Joseph hereby showed his love to his brethren.
Now, reader, what love-fire has you for this love-feast? Do you love the
brethren as brethren, because they are related to God, and because they have
the image of God? Or do you love them only for the natural qualities in them,
and their courtesy to you? This fire I must tell you is kitchen fire, which
must be fed with such coarse fuel; the former only is the fire, which is taken
from God’s altar. Do you love a poor, as well as a rich, Christian? Do you love
grace in rags as must as grace in robes? Is it their honour or their holiness,
which you do admire?
Examine the Evil in You
As your duty is to examine yourself concerning your graces,
so also concerning your corruptions. Before a sacrament there should be a
thorough search for all your sins. The Jews, before their Passover, searched
all over their houses for leaven; nay, they searched every corner and
mouse-hole with a wax candle, as some write. There is a threefold leaven: First,
A leaven of hypocrisy; “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy”
(Lk 12:1). Secondly, A leaven of heresy; “A little leaven leaveneth
the whole lump” (Gal 5:9). Thirdly, A leaven of enormity or
scandal; “Purge out… the old leaven” (1 Cor 5:7). Your care must be to make a
diligent inquiry for all this leaven. The iniquities of wicked men will find
them out, but good men will find out their iniquities: “I know mine
iniquities,” says David (Ps 51). When viruses lie hid in the body, they hinder
the strength it might get by food; when sins lie undiscovered in the soul, they
will hinder its digesting spiritual meat and drink.
At a sessions, there are some indictments read, and it may be some execution
done; but at an assize, there are many malefactors arraigned and many executed,
the jail is then cleared of those vermin. A Christian should keep a petty
sessions in his heart every day,—do what he can for the conviction and
condemnation of his sins;—but before a sacrament he must keep an assize; there
must be a general jail-delivery; all his sins must be sought after, indicted,
and executed; the room of his heart must be cleared of those vipers.
Particularly examine yourself of your sins since the last sacrament; how
forgetful you have been of the oath of the Lord which you did then enter into.
Be not slight or formal in searching after your sins, like some officers that
willingly overlook the thieves they search for; but be as diligent to find them
out as you would be to find out the murderers of your father or best friend.
But be sure you compare your heart and life with the Law of God. Oh, how many
spots will that glass discover! When the woman has swept her house and gathered
the dust up altogether, she thinks there is none left; but when the sun does
but shines in through some broken pane of glass, she sees the whole house swarm
with innumerable motes of dust floating to and fro in the air. The light of
God’s law will make innumerable sins visible to you, which without it will lie
hid.
A Sincere Humiliation for Sins
There is requisite, as a serious examination of yourself, so also sincere
humiliation for your sins. The cleanly dame is careful always to keep her
pewter and brass clean; but against a good time she is very curious to have her
vessels not only clean, but bright, and for this end she will not only wash
them, but take much pains in scouring them. Christian, now is the good time
before which you should scour the vessel of your heart, that no dirt if
possible may stick to it. This true humiliation consists partly in mourning for
sin, partly in turning from sin.
Mourn for Sin
In mourning for sin: The Pharisees would not eat their
common bread “with unwashen hands” (Mt 15:20; Mk 7:2), lest they should
transgress the traditions of their elders. Friend, if you should eat this
sacred bread with an unwashed heart, you will horribly transgress the
commandment of your God. The Jews did eat the Passover with bitter herbs, and
truly we Gentiles must eat a broken body with broken bones. The more bitter sin
is to you before, the more sweet your Saviour will be to you at the sacrament;
“Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted” (Mt 5:4). A wet
seed-time will bring a sunshiny and plentiful harvest. One of the fathers
observes that David, the greatest mourner in Israel, was the sweetest singer in
Israel. Beans thrive best if steeped in water before they be sown, and truly so
will your soul if steeped in godly sorrow before you go to the sacrament. “Give
strong drink unto him that is ready to perish, and wine unto those that be of
heavy hearts” (Prov 31:6). When your heart is heavy under the sense of your
unholiness, and you are ready to perish under the weight of your wickedness,
then Jesus Christ will give you that wine, that blood which will refresh and
make your heart glad.
Those trees shoot highest in summer that shoot lowest into the earth in winter.
No Christian usually rises so high in consolation as he that is cast down
lowest in evangelical humiliation. There are two in the New Testament famous
for their contrition, and they are famous for God’s respect and affection to
them. Mary was a great mourner; we seldom have a view of her in Scripture
without dew on her face and tears in her eyes (Lk 7:38–39, and 23:27–28; Jn
19:25, and 20:11, 15). But she had the special honour and favour of seeing the
best sight which ever mortal eyes beheld before all others, even the blessed
Redeemer in the first step of His exaltation: “Now when Jesus was risen early
the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he
had cast seven devils” (Mk 16:9). Mary had sinned greatly and sorrowed greatly,
and was upon it greatly respected by God. Peter wept bitterly. A look from love
broke his heart in pieces; but Christ took special care to bind up this broken
heart, to pour oil into his wounded conscience; and therefore when a messenger
is dispatched from heaven to acquaint the world with the joyful news of the
Saviour’s resurrection, no name is particularly mentioned in his commission but
Peter’s. God gives him an express command, that whosoever should remain ignorant
of those happy tidings, he should be sure that Peter have notice of it. “Go
your way,” says the angel, “tell his disciples and Peter that he goeth before
you into Galilee: there shall ye see him” (Mk 16:7). When a king has some
extraordinary good news, and sends a courtier to acquaint his intimate friends
with it, but charges him, “Tell them all of it, but be sure such an earl have
notice of it: whoever you forget, remember him”;—all will conclude this is the
favourite. Peter thought that because he had forsworn Christ, therefore Christ
might justly forget him; but Christ took such care, that if but one in the
world, besides those two women at the sepulchre, had notice of His
resurrection, penitent Peter should be the man. Oh the rhetoric, the power of
an unfeigned tear! Repentance has more prevalency with the blessed God than all
the robes, riches, crowns and diadems of the greatest potentates in the world.
Oh reader, if you would have heavenly music at the feast, mind this holy
mourning! When Joseph’s brethren were sensible of their sin in selling him,
then, and not till then, he made them a feast. Jesus Christ made the best wine
that ever was of water. The bee, naturalists tell us, gathers the best honey of
the bitterest herb; God has solid joy for the broken bones, the contrite
spirit. Cast up the accounts betwixt God and your soul, see how infinitely you
are indebted to His Majesty. Abhor yourself with Job, bemoan yourself with
Ephraim, and judge yourself, as Paul enjoins his Corinthians in relation to
this ordinance, as ever you would have God at the sacrament to seal you a
general acquittance.
Sacrament days are sealing days; God does then seal His love, and stamp His
image more fairly on the soul; now, if your heart be melted into godly sorrow, and
made thereby like soft wax, you will be fit for this seal and stamp. The hart
in grazing kills and eats a serpent, which so inflames her that she can have no
rest till she drink of the water-brooks. Repentance will make you feel the
scorching nature of that serpent sin, and thereby long for and relish the water
of life.
Turn from Sin
There must be a turning from sin. You can never communicate
with true comfort if you do not communicate with a clear conscience. As your
duty is to wash your soul in godly sorrow, so also to put off your sinful
affections, before you enter into God’s house to partake of this ordinance. If
God takes it ill when men “take his name into their mouths,” who “hate to be
reformed,” how ill will he take it if such take the body and blood of His Son
into their mouths? Christ’s body was not to see corruption, neither will it
mingle with corruption. He lay in a new womb, in a new tomb, and He will lie in
a new heart. When sin is cast out, then Jesus Christ will enter into your soul.
“Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you.” But mark how they must
prepare themselves who would approach the Lord: “Cleanse your hands, ye
sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double-minded” (Jas 4:8–9).
The Jews before the Passover cleansed all their vessels, which they feared
might have leaven sticking to them, burned all the leaven they could find, and
cursed all in their house, whether found or not found; as their antiquaries
inform us. Truly, when you go to the Supper it concerns you to cleanse your
soul of the leaven of sin, by a high indignation at it, and hearty resolution
against it. “Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump….
For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us: Therefore let us keep the
feast, not with the old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and
wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth” (1 Cor
5:7–8). Reader, it would be a trampling under foot the blood of Christ, and
counting it as an unholy thing, if you should go to the Table of the Lord with
love to any lust. For the Lord’s sake, and for your soul’s sake, take heed of
paddling in the blood of Christ, as if it were channel water. Alas! you do
little less if you partake of the sacrament without anger and indignation
against every sin. True repentance implies an aversion from sin: “If [they]
shall humble themselves,… and turn from their wicked ways” (2 Chr 7:14). The
burnt child will dread the fire. The Christian who has truly repented is so
sensible of the weight of sin and wrath of God, that he is resolved never more
to meddle with those burning coals; alas! they are too heavy for him. David,
that had repented of his sin, would not drink of that water which had but been
the occasion of hazarding men’s lives, though before he could drink the blood
of Uriah. Penitent Peter, though before he was so full of self-confidence that
he preferred himself before the other Apostles,—“Though all deny thee, yet will
not I” (cf. Mt 26:35; Mk 14:31)—yet afterwards, though occasion were offered
him of commending himself, forbears it: “Peter, lovest thou me more than these?
Lord, thou knowest I love thee” (Jn 21:15–17). He says not, more than
these. O reader, it was Esau’s expression, “The days of mourning for my
father are at hand; then will I slay my brother Jacob” (Gen 27:41). So say you,
“The days of mourning for the death of my dear Saviour and everlasting Father
are come, and now I will slay my most beloved lusts; now will I be revenged of
them for their endeavour to rob me of my spiritual birthright, to wrong me of
my eternal blessing.”
This repentance exercised before the sacrament would prepare your stomach for
the feast, it would cleanse it, and cause it to savour the dainties there; it
would make you hungry, and hunger is the best sauce. Artaxerxes, flying for his
life, fed on barley bread and a few dried figs, and said it was the best meal
that ever he made.
When you had thus prepared your stomach for this heavenly banquet, take heed of
relying upon your pains and preparation, either for a right performance of the
duty, or for your acceptance in the ordinance. Many a poor creature, I am
persuaded, goes with much humiliation for sin, and comes away without any
consolation, because they made a saviour of their sorrow. Praise your physician
if he have made you sensible of your sickness, but do not provoke him by making
your pain to be the plaster for your cure. Alas! your preparation itself needs
much pardon; if God should deal strictly with you, your prayers should be found
dung, your sighs unsavoury breath, your very tears puddle water. Reflect on
them yourself, and compare them with the Law of God, and you will find cause to
pray over your prayers, to weep over your tears, to be ashamed of your shame,
and to abhor yourself for your self-abhorency.
Do not think with yourself, “I have examined my heart faithfully, and find that
I do not come short of the grace of God; I have acknowledged mine iniquities,
and been sorrowful for my sins, and therefore I cannot miscarry at this
sacrament.” Such a trusting of yourself would be a tempting of your Saviour,
and would certainly hinder the success of the sacrament: it would be to you as
the cutting off Samson’s locks was to him: Judges 16:20,—He thought to have
gone forth as at other times, and shake himself. “And he wist not that the LORD
was departed from him.” You may think, after such self-confidence, to go to the
Lord’s Supper as at other times; but, alas! what will you do? for the Lord’s
Supper will depart from you, and then what sport will Satan and sin, those
uncircumcised ones, make with you?
Reader, let me persuade you, when you had been diligent in the trial of your
spiritual estate, and have with many tears bewailed the pollution of your
nature and transgressions of your life, to cast yourself wholly upon the Lord
Jesus Christ for assistance in the duty. As Jehoshaphat, when he had fifty
thousand men ready armed for the battle, cried out, “O [LORD] our God,… we have
no might against this great company…; neither know we what to do; but our eyes
are upon thee” (2 Chr 20:12). So after you have made the greatest preparation
possible, do you look up to Christ, and say, “Lord, I have no ability, no
might, for this great supper, for a right performance of this great ordinance,
neither know I what to do, but mine eyes are unto Thee.” When Asa had an army
of two hundred and eighty thousand men of valour to fight with the Ethiopians,
he prayed and trusted to God as if he had not one man: “LORD, it is nothing
with thee to help, whether with many, or with them that have no power: help us,
O LORD our God; for we rest on thee, and in thy name we go against this great
multitude” (2 Chr 14:11). So do you say, “Lord, I have no power for this holy
Supper; help me, O Lord my God, for I rest on Thee, and in Thy name I go to
this great and weighty ordinance.” Truly could you, after all the provision you
have made, disclaim it wholly in regard of dependence, and cast yourself on
Christ for assistance; I durst be the prophet to foretell a good day. The gaudy
flower, which stands upon its own stalk, does quickly wither; when the plain
ivy, that depends upon the house, and leans on it, is fresh and green all the
year. He that trusts to his own legs in this duty is as sure to fall as if he
were down already. The weak child walks safest, that all the way holds by and
hangs upon its parent.
Conclusion
If you were now going to receive, be advised to write after David’s copy; he
looked up to God both for assistance and acceptance: “I will go in the strength
of the Lord GOD: I will make mention of thy righteousness, yea, of thine only”
(Ps 71:16). Let your practice be suitable to His when you go out of your house;
and let your prayer be the same as the Spouse’s when you are entering into
God’s house. Oh then look up to heaven, and cry mightily, “Awake, O north wind;
and come, thou south; blow upon my garden, that the spies thereof may flow out.
Let my beloved come into his garden, and eat his pleasant fruits” (Song 4:16).
[George Swinnock (1627–1673) was chaplain at New
College until his appointment as a
Fellow of Bristol College, Oxford,
in 1648 shortly after the episcopalian form of church government was abolished
in the Church of England. In 1660, after Charles II acceded to the throne, and
the episcopal polity was re-established, Swinnock was appointed Vicar of Great
Kemble in Buckinghamshire. He was, however, to be deprived of his living for
non-conformity within 2 years during the great ejection of 1662. Although
little known, his works had enjoyed a reputation as being pithy, pungent and
practical. They are often theological but full of vivid illustrations, so that
he is amongst the most delightful Puritans to read.]
—28 July 2002
