The whole duty of a communicant eing rules and directions for a worthy receiving the most holy sacrament of the Lord's Supper. By the right reverend Father in God, John Gauden, late Lord Bishop of Exeter. He being dead yet speaketh.

Still upon your knees say.

ALmighty God, unto whom all hearts be open, all desires known, and from whom no secrets are hid, cleanse the thoughts of my heart by the inspiration of thy holy Spirit, that I may perfectly love thee, and worthily magnify thy holy name, through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Some heads of self examination by the X. Commandments to be expressed on your knees.

God speak those words and said, I am the Lord thy God, thou shalt have none other Gods but me.

Lord have mercy upon me and incline my heart to keep this Law.

Self examination by the first Command∣ment, If I have not absolutely denied Gods being or in a gross manner renounced him by Apostacy; yet, Have I not been angry with the Almighty, murmuring and complaining against him, in an adversity or trouble which he hath been pleased to lay upon me, as though he were not both just and merciful?

Have I had such a confidence and trust in God, as I ought to have had, together with

such a strength and consolation, as ordinarily a lively confidence brings with it?

Have I not put all my confidence in the world, and on the things which belong to it, fearing man who can only kill the body, more than God who can cast both Soul and Body into everlasting torments?

Have I not denyed my Maker, by refusing to wait on him in his holy ordinances; or if I have been there, have I not been guilty of irreverence and cold devotion?

Lord have mercy upon me and pardon the breach of this Commandment.

II. Commandment.

Thou shalt not make to thy self any graven Image, nor the likeness of any thing which is in Heaven above or in the Earth beneath, or in the water under the Earth▪ thou shalt not bow down to them, nor worship them, for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, and visit the sins of the Fathers upon the Children, unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me, and shew mercy unto thou∣sands, in them that love me and keep my Com¦mandments.

Lord have mercy upon me, and incline my heart to keep this Law.

Self examination by the II. Commandment.

Though I have not set up a graven Image nor fallen down to worship any; yet,

Have I not been troubled with the Fool in my heart, in laying up treasures which a〈…〉〈…〉

liable to Corruption, and idolizing the vain pomps and vanities of this wicked world, by covetousness which is I do latry?

If I have abhorred Idols, have I not been guilty of Sacrilege, robbing of God in his Tithes and Offerings, not extending my cha∣rity to the poor as I ought to do, but fixing my mind more on the Creature then on the Creator?

Have I not made a God of my belly by luxuriousness, indulging my self with carnal delights and sensual appetites, and have been hurried away by every wind of Doctrin?

Lord have mercy upon me, and pardon the breach of this Commandment.

Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.

Lord have mercy upon me, and incline my heart to keep this Law.

Self examination by the III. Commandment.

If I have not blasphemously profaned Gods n••m••▪ yet,

Have I not taken his holy name in my mouth with much irreverence, and jestingly and scoffingly abused his holy ordinances?

Have I not taken many false Oaths and Protestations, and have been guilty of too frequent and customary swearing, cursing by the dreadful name of God, which is only to be mentioned for blessing and adoration.

Have I been careful to keep those lawful

Oaths I have taken, as my Baptismal vow, or any other Oath, which was administred law∣fully to me without being guilty of the breach of them?

Have I not neglected to call upon that name whereby alone I must receive salvation, and have turned the grace of God into wan∣tonness to the destruction of my own Soul?

Lord have mercy upon me, and pardon the breach of this commandment.

IV. Commandment.

Remember that thou keep holy the Sabbath day, six days shalt thou labour, and do all that thou hast to do, but the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God; in it thou shalt do no manner of work thou, and thy Son and thy Daughter, thy Man servant, and thy Maid-servant, thy Cattle, and the Stranger that is within thy Gates. For in six days the Lord made Heaven and Earth, the Sea, and all that in them is, and rested the se∣venth day; wherefore the Lord blessed the seventh day and hallowed it.

Lord have mercy upon me, and incline my heart to keep this Law.

Self examination by the IV. Commandment.

If I have not actually ossiciated on that day my worldly calling or employment; yet,

Did I spend my time in the House of God, as I ought to do, to praise him for all his mercies bestowed upon me?

Have not I omitted Prayers and Sermons and followed my own idle imaginations, not

caring at all for the Church, but being weary of the Lords day, like those in Amos 8. 5. who ask when will the Sabbath be gone that we may set forth Wheat?

Have I not invented ways to draw others from the service and worship of God, by vain sports and idle discourses not remembring to praise God on this day for the Creation and joyful Resurrection?

Have I at home instructed my Family as I ought to do, but on the contrary have neg∣lected those duties of prayers reading and meditation?

Lord have mercy upon me, and pardon the breach of this Commandment.

V. Commandment.

Honour thy Father and thy Mother, that thy days may be long in the Land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.

Lord have mercy upon me, and incline my heart to keep this Law.

Self examination by the V. Commandment.

If I have not grosly abused my parents by cursing or swearing at them, yet,

Have I not spoken meanly and lightly of my superiors, and instead of obeying them, have made it my study to oppose and con∣tradict them?

Have I not been undutiful to them, in se∣veral respects, as not hearkning to their Counsel, not taking their reprooss with meek∣ness

and humility, but have despised and mocked them, refusing to practice their exhortations, not remembring the words of the wise Man. Pro. 30. 17. The eye that mock∣e••h his Father, and despiseth to obey his Mother, the Reavens of the valleys shall pick it out, and the young Eagles shall eat it,

Have not I wisht my Parents death out of greediness of gaining their possessions, when rich, and have I not when they were poor, been so unnatural as to turn my back upon their necessities?

Lord have mercy upon me, and pardon the breach of this Commandment.

VI. Commandment

Thou shalt do no Murther.

Lord have mercy upon me, and incline my heart to keep this Law.

Self examination by the VI. Commandment. If I have not actually committed Murther; yet,

Have I not drawn many to intemperance, and other vices, which cause diseases or bring death, or have I not made strife among men, by which means they have engaged themselves in quarrelling, and in the encounter come off maimed or killed?

Have I not out of malice and revenge strove to shorten many ones life; or have I not taken a delight to grind the face of the poor making them work of necessity for that which can never maintain their Families?

Have I not been guilty of much intempe∣rance in eating and drinking, and have I not been guilty of the death of several by not relieving their necessities in due time?

Lord have mercy upon me, and pardon the breach of this Commandment.

VII. Commandment.

Thou shalt not commit Adultery.

Lord have mercy upon me, and incline my heart to keep this Law.

Self examination by the VII. Commandment.

If I have not actually committed Adultery or Fornication; yet,

Have I not pleased my sancy with loose and wanton imaginations, and suffered unchast thoughts so long to dwell in my heart, till by the corrupt bent of its concupiscence, have grown into unruly lusts which war against the Soul?

Have not my eyes betrayed my heart se∣cretly to lust, and sinfully to enjoy that which was unlawful, and have I not made use of those provocations which lead to chambering and wantonness?

Have not I used my self to filthy and ob∣scene talking; to all manner of effeminacy and unchast behaviour, forgetting those threat∣nings which are pronounced in Scripture, that Whoremongers and Adulterers God will judge?

Lord have mercy upon me, and pardon the

breach of this Commandment.

VIII. Commandment.

Thou shalt not steal.

Lord have mercy upon me, and incline my heart to keep this Law.

Self examination. by the VIII. Command∣ment.

If I have not been guilty of robbery and burglary, yet,

Have I not been guilty of theft by negli∣gence and prodiga••ity, wasting both the E∣states of my self and others by contracting of debts, without taking care to pay▪ them?

Have I not broke my promises in not pay∣ing for what I agreed for, and have I not kept back the wages of the servant and the hireling, forgetting the strict command in this matter, Deut. 24. 14, 15. Thou shalt not oppress an hired servant that is poor and needy, at his day thou shalt give him his hire, neither shall the sun go down upon it, for he is poor and setteth his heart upon it, lest he cry against thee to the Lord, and it be sin unto thee?

Have I not been guilty of pilferring and fil∣ching, cogging and lying, couzening and de∣ceiving, and have I not been guilty of defrau∣ding and circumventing in buying, selling, and lending to the loss of the borrower?

Lord have mercy upon me, and pardon the breach of this commandment.

IX. Commandment.

Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy Neighbour.

Lord have mercy upon me, and incline my heart to keep this Law.

Self examination by the IX. Commandment.

If I have not been guilty of perjury against my neighbour; yet,

Have I not blasted their reputation, by railing, whispering, and encouraging others, in slandering them, and have I not harboured uncharitable thoughts, and spread abroad false reports which have been the product of lying, envy, malice, and great unworthiness?

Have I not been injurious, churlish and proud, froward and peevish in conversation, using bitter and reproachful language, and have not I rejoyced when any evil and mis∣chief hath befaln them?

Have I not strove to betray into ruine many innocent persons, by laying traps and snares for them; and have I not accused any falsly of that which they were never guilty of?

Lord have mercy upon me, and pardon the breach of this Commandment,

X. Commandment.

Thou shalt not covet thy neighbours house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbours Wife, nor his Ser∣vant, nor his Maid, nor his Ox, nor his Ass, nor any thing that is his.

Lord have mercy upon me, and write all these thy Laws in my heart I beseech thee.

Self examination by the X. Commandment.

If I have not been guilty of covetousness in a very gross manner; yet,

Have I not had an evil eye, and a greedy mind in coveting that which could not law∣fully be purchased, and have I not envyed ma∣ny, so as to grieve at their prosperity and re∣joyce in their losses?

Have I been content with my present estate & condition in this world, how mean soever, without roring after the exterior consola∣tions of the Creature abroad, which is the only way to loose contentment in my self at home?

Have I not with too much vigour pursued after the riches, honours and pleasures of the world, and have neglected that one thing ne∣cessary, the working out my own salvation with with fear and trembling?

Lord have mercy upon me, and pardon the breach of this and all thy Commandments; I be∣seech thee.