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 Receive 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 not 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 chief at that instant when we should make use of them: Secondly, remembering of evil things, especially of those that may most corrupt us; and chief 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 God's power, mercy, etc. promises, and providence; whence carnal fears are wrought and cherished, and the true fear o● God is expelled and banished.  
7 Presumption upon God's mercy.  
8 Carnal confidence in Wit, Learning, Wealth, Strength, Friends, etc. Thinking ourselves the better, or safer, simply for them; whence ariseth pride and security.  
9 Much love of evil; as also of ourselves our Friends, our pleasure, profit, credit, etc. Secondly, little love of God and of goodness, and of God's 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 God's People, private or public  
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 Worshipping of Images  
3 Adoration of Ange●s or S●…s observing Holidays in devotion to them, swearing by them, etc.  
4 Approbation of Idolatry, by presence, speech, gesture, silence, keeping of superstitions Relics and Monuments, keeping company with Idolaters etc.  
5 Neglect of any of God's Ordinances as of Preaching, Hearing▪ Reading▪ Meditation▪ Conference, the use of good Books, and of good Company, of private and public Prayer, Fasting, making of Vows, etc.  
6 Superstitious 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 profaneness, whereby Gods Name is dishonoured.  
2 Abasing of God's 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 etc.  
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, outrageously, falsely, etc.  
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 Ask evil things: A●…ing more in our requests at the relieving of our necessity, than at the advancement of God's 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 God's great works of Creation, Preservation, Redemption, as also of other his mercies, and Judgements.  
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 Profane absence from, or unfruitful presence at God's Ordinance.  
3 Excessive eating and drinking, which causeth drowsiness, and unfitness for God's 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 ourselves, or others, to a Reckoning after Holy Exercises.  
9 Giving liberty to ourselves 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, etc.    

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 behaviour before them, and too much familiarity with them, whereby they become vile in their Eyes.  
7 Loving Beauty, or any outward parts, more than God's Image in them.  
8 A Sin peculiar to the Mother, is, refusing to nurse them.    

Servants Sins as to Governors.  

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 Master's goods and affairs  
3 Stealing, privy defrauding of them, etc.  
4 Eye service.    

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

1 Unadvised entertainment of Sinful Servants.  
2 Not using religious exercises with them: not admonishing nor correcting them, or doing it in an evil manner: grieving more when they fail in their business, than when they are slack in God's 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 Employment.    

Sins common to them both.  

1 Want of love.  
2 Bewraying one another's infirmities: Discovering each others Secrets.  
3 Jealousy.  
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 deuce.    

Sins of Magistrates.  

1 Carelessness 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, Threatening, and provoking of others.  
3 Fight.  
4 Cruelty in punishing▪ oppressing etc.  
5 Murdering of ourselves, or others, or consent thereto.  
6 Immoderate worldly sorrow: Neglect of Physic, of wholesome diet 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 etc.  
4 Unholy Marriages in regard of Religion, Age, nearness of blood, want of Parent's consent, etc.  
5 Abuse of the Marriagebed, not observing the time of natural separation, Leu. 18.19. solemn humiliation.  
6 Nourishing of the causes and occasions of Wantonness as impair Lusts, Surfeiting, Drunkenness, Idleness, lascivious Apparel, society with lascivious persons, lewd Books Songs, or Speeches, wanton Looks, Pictures, Stage Plays, Dancing Dalliance, etc.  
7 Wearing Apparel, contrary to our Sex.  
8 Unlawful Divorce.    

Sins against the VIII. Commandment.  

1 Covetousness, and all desire of our Neighbour's goods, albeit through fear or shame we cannot get them.  
2 Church robbing.  
3 Robb●ng of ourselves by wastfulness in Diet, Apparel, Gaming, etc. by Idlenese, unadvised Suretyship, Niggardliness, etc.  
4 Robbing of others, taking away the smallest things: First, by fraud: Secondly, uncharitable enclosure: 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 public or private, or consent thereunto. ●  
〈…〉 ane reports o 〈…〉  
3 Rash suspicion; hard judging interpreting things in the worst sense.  
〈…〉  
4 Aggravating and discovering others infirmities, without care of their credit, others edification, or our own good.  
5 Flattery.  
6 Lying, though in jest, or to a good end.  
7 Boasting  
8 Injurous charging of ourselves 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 Commandment in the Decalogue, which by the Apostle St. James, is called The Law of laberty; not that it gives the least encouragement 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 ourselves, 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.