RULES FOR SELF-EXAMINATION, Extracted out of the Writings of an Eminent Divine, very necessary for Christians at all Times, Especially at their Preparation to Recieve the Sacrament of the LORD's SUPPER; that so they may become Worthy Receivers thereof.
Necessary to be set up in all Men's Houses for the Spiritual Benefit of their Families.

Sins against the I. Commandment.

  • 1 ATheism; which is, when men either think there is no God, or live as if there were no God.
  • 2 Idolatry; which is the having of a false God.
  • 3 Ignorance, uncapableness of Knowledge, Errors and Heresies.
  • 4 Forgetfulness of good things, especially those that most concern us, and chiefly at that instant when we should make use of them: Secondly, remembring of evil things, especially of those that may most corrupt us; and chiefly then, when we should be most free from the thought of them.
  • 5 Unwillingness unto good things principally to the best; readiness unto, and wilfulness in evil, especially the worst: Secondly impatience under crosses.
  • 6 Distrust of Gods power, mercy, &c. promises, and providence; whence carnal fears are wrought and cherished, and the true fear o [...] God is expeld and banished.
  • 7 Presumption upon Gods mercy.
  • 8 Carnal confidence in Wit, Learning, Wealth, Strength, Friends, &c. Thinking our selves the better, or safer, simply for them; whence ariseth pride and security.
  • 9 Much love of evil; as also of our selves our Friends, our pleasure, profit, credit, &c. Secondly, little love of God and of goodness, and of Gods Servants and Services.
  • 10 Hatred of God and goodness: Secondly, want of hatred against our own and others Sins.
  • 11 Abundance of worldly sorrow, shame and discon­tentment: Secondly, want of spiritual grief and indig­nation against our own and others transgressions: Thirdly, not lamenting for the calamities of Gods Peo­ple, private or publick
  • 12 Immoderate carnal mirth: to little spiritual joy­ing [...] ing things either without, o [...] against the Rules of the World.

Sins against the II. Commandment.

  • 1 BAse and unwarranted conceits of God, as when we frame any Image of him in our minds
  • 2 Worshiping of Images
  • 3 Adoration of Ange [...]s or S [...]s observing Holy­dayes in devotion to them, swearing by them, &c.
  • 4 Approbation of Idolatry, by presence, speech, ges­ture, silence, keeping of superstitions Relikes and Mo­numents, keeping company with Idolaters &c.
  • 5 Neglect of any of Gods Ordinances as of Preach­ing, Hearing▪ Reading▪ Meditation▪ Conference, the use of good Books, and of good Company, of private and publick Prayer, Fasting, making of Vows, &c.
  • 6 Supersticious Fasting rash Vows, Breach of lawful Vows, abuse of Lots, &c
  • 7 Want of sorrow, for being born of Idolatrous Forefathers.

Sins against the III. Commandment.

  • 1 PRofession, joined with prophaness, whereby Gods Name is dishonoured.
  • 2 Abasing of Gods Word: First by fruitless speaking of it: Secondly▪ framing jests out of it, or against it: Thirdly, maintaining of Sin by it: Fourthly, applying it to charming &c.
  • 3 Abasing the Names or Titles of God: First, by admiration as by saying in our common talk, O Lord, O Jesus, &c Secondly by cursing, &c
  • 4 Swearing vainly, outragiously, falsly, &c.
  • 5 Blaspheming.
  • 6 Taking a lawful Oath, without due reverence and consideration.
  • 7 Praying without faith, feeling reverence, serven­ [...] not waiting for an answer &c Asking evil things: A [...]ing more in our requests at the relieving of our necessity, than at the advancement of Gods glory
  • 8 Hearing, reading, meditating, conferring, singing of Psalms, and receiving the Sacrament, without prepa­ration, attention, reverence, delight, and profit.
  • 9 Light passing over of Gods great works of Cre­ation, Preservation, Redemption, as also of other his mercies, and Judgments.
  • 10 Abuse of our Christian liberty, to the hardening, ensnaring, perverting, or just grieving of any.

Sins against the IV. Commandment.

  • 1 NEglect of preparation for the Sabbath, be­fore it come, and of fitting our Hearts for Holy services, when it is come.
  • 2 Prophane absence from, or unfruitful presence at Gods Ordinance.
  • 3 Excessive eating and drinking, which causeth drowsiness, and unfitness for Gods worship.
  • 4 Doing any ordinary work of our Calling.
  • 5 All Recreations, which distract.
  • 6 Vain and worldly speeches and thoughts.
  • 7 A secret desire that the Sabbath were over.
  • 8 Neglect of calling our selves, or others, to a Recko­ning after Holy Exercises.
  • 9 Giving liberty to our selves in the night before the whole Sabbath be ended.

Sins against the V. Commandment.

Sins of Inferiors, as to Superiors.

  • 1 WAnt of reverence, inward or outward.
  • 2 Neglect of Prayer.
  • 3 And of humble submission.

Sins of Superiors.

  • [...]
  • 2 Failing in Prayer.
  • 3 And in giving good example.

Sins of Children as to Parents.

  • 1 D [...]ience.
  • 2 Murmuring at their Parents corrections, though unjust
  • 3 Contemning of them, for any defect of body and mind
  • 4 Unthankfulness in not relieving them, not stand­ing for their deserved credit, &c.

Sins of Parents.

  • 1 Negligence, in not instructing their Children betimes.
  • 2 Not correcting them till it be too late; or doing it with bitterness, without compassion, instruction, and Prayer.
  • 3 Giving them ill example.
  • 4 Neglect of bringing them up in some lawful Cal­ing.
  • 5 Not bestowing them timely and religiously in Marriage.
  • 6 Light behavior before them, and too much fa­miliaritie with them, whereby they become vile in their Eyes.
  • 7 Loving Beauty, or any outward parts, more than Gods Image in them.
  • 8 A Sin peculiar to the Mother, is, refusing to nurse them.

Servants Sins as to Governours.

The three First Sins in Children, may be in Servants as also these that follow.
  • 1 Idleness in their Calling.
  • 2 Un [...]stiness and unfaithfulness in dealing with their Masters goods and affaires
  • 3 Stealing, priv [...]e defrauding of them, &c.
  • 4 Eye serv [...]ce.

Divers Sins of Parents are found in Masters, as also these that follow.

  • 1 Unadvised entertainment of Sinfull Servants.
  • 2 Not using religious exercises with them: not ad­monishing nor correcting them, or doing it in an evill manner: grieving more when they fail in their busi­ness, than when they are slack in Gods service.
  • 3 Not recompensing their labours, by giving them a due reward when they are with them, and when they part from them.
  • 4 Neglect of them in sickness: unjust stopping of their wages for that time.
  • 5 Not relieving them (if they be able) in their age, who have spent their youth in their service.

Sins of the Wife as to the Husband.

  • 1 Failing in reverence: which appeareth in froward looks, speeches, or behaviour.
  • 2 Disobedience in the smallest matters.

Sins of the Husband.

  • 1 Not dwelling with his Wife.
  • 2 Neglect of Edifying her, by Instruction and Ex­ample.
  • 3 Denying her comfortable maintenance, and Im­ployment.

Sins common to them both.

  • 1 Want of love.
  • 2 Bewraying one anothers infirmities: Discovering each others Secrets.
  • 3 Jealousie.
  • 4 Contention.

Sins of the People, as to Ministers.

  • Disobeying and opposing against th [...]i [...]
  • [...] [...] wronged.

Sins of Ministers.

  • 1 Slackness in Preaching.
  • [...]
  • 3 Giving ill Example.

Sins of Subjects.

  • 1 Rebellion.
  • 2 Refusing to pay dues.

Sins of Magistrates.

  • 1 Carelesness in establishing and promoting true Religion.
  • 2 Of maintaining peace, and providing that Male­factors may be punished, and well-doers be encouraged.

Sins of Inferiors in gift or Age.

  • 1 Not acknowledging, nor reverencing, nor imi­tating the Graces of their Superiors.
  • 2 Despising of the Aged.

Sins against the VI. Commandment.

  • 1 RAsh Anger, Envy, Hatred, Malice.
  • 2 Brawling, Reviling, Threatning, and pro­voking of others.
  • 3 Fighting.
  • 4 Cruelty in punishing▪ oppressing &c.
  • 5 Murthering of our selves, or others, or consent thereto.
  • 6 Immoderate worldly sorrow: Neglect of Physick, of wholesom dyet and exercise, surfeiting and drunken­ness; all which are enemies to the health and life of Man.
  • 7 Cruelty to our own or others Souls.

Sins against the VII. Commandment.

  • 1 ADultery Fornication, Incest, Rape Sodomy▪
  • 2 All wantonness, secret or open, alone, or with others
  • 3 Nocturnal pollutions lustful dreams &c.
  • 4 Unholy Marriages in regard of Religion, Age, nearness of blood, want of Parents consent, &c.
  • 5 Abuse of the Marriage-Bed, not observing the time of natural separation, Lev. 18.19. solemn humili­ation.
  • 6 Nourishing of the causes and occasions of Wan­tonness as impare Lusts, Surfetting, Drunkenness, Idle­ness, lascivious Apparel, society with lascivious persons, leud Books Songs, or Speeches, wanton Looks, Pic­tures, Stage Playes, Dancing Dalliance, &c.
  • 7 Wearing Apparel, contrary to our Sex.
  • 8 Unlawful Divorce.

Sins against the VIII. Commandment.

  • 1 COvetousnes, and all desire of our Neigh­bours goods, albeit through fear or shame we cannot get them.
  • 2 Church robbing.
  • 3 Robb [...]ng of our selves by wastfulness in Dyet, Apparel, Gaming, &c. by Idlenese, unadvised Sure­tiship, N [...]ggardliness, &c.
  • 4 Robbing of others, taking away the smallest things: First, by fraud: Secondly, uncharitable inclo­sure: Thirdly, dealing wrongfully with the goods of the deceased: Fourthly, deceit in buying and selling: Fifthly, with holding either things committed unto us, or things found, lent, earned, or otherwise due
  • 5 Not making of restitution.
  • 6 Counselling, or consenting to others in Theft.

Sins against the IX. Commandment.

  • 1 FAlse witness bearing in publick or private, or consent thereunto. [...]
  • [...]ane reports o [...]
  • 3 Rash suspition; hard judging interpreting things in the worst sence.
  • [...]
  • 4 Aggravating and discovering others infirmities, without care of their credit, others edi [...]ication, or our own good.
  • 5 Flattery.
  • 6 Lying, though in jest, or to a good end.
  • 7 Boasting
  • 8 Injurous charging of our selves to be Hypocrites in time of temptation.
  • 9 Want of care of our own and others good name, that God might have more glory.

The breach of the X. Commandment.

MUltitudes of evil thoughts and motions a­gainst our Neighbours, and scarcity of such as are good.

These Rules are framed (as you see) in reference to the Breach of each Commandement in the Deca­logue, which by the Apostle St. James, is called The Law of laberty; not that it gives the least incourage­ment to, but frees us from the Bondage of Sin and Cor­ruption as it is managed in the hand of a Mediator; by which if we judge and condemn our selves, we shall not be Condemned with the world.

FINIS.

LONDON Printed by Ge [...]rge Cr [...]o [...]n in T [...] street, over against [...]y [...]'s Cas [...] 1685.

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