Set apart the Friday of every such week as a day of holy fasting and abstinence, rising earlier than usually; if your health will permit you, at five of the clock; and being apparelled and ready, you may retire to your ordinary morning prayers.

I will not presume to confine you to those at the end of this book, but do suppose you already fixed; however, peruse them, and possibly they may suit your condition, they will undoubtedly your devotion. Subjoin to them on every such Fasting-day the two Collects for Preparation to the Communion above written [p. 3], as also the 130th Psalm.

1 OUT of the deep have I called unto Thee, O Lord: Lord, hear my voice.

2 let Thine ears consider well: the voice of my complaint.

3 If Thou, Lord, wilt be extreme to mark what is done amiss: O Lord, who may abide it?

4 For there is mercy with Thee therefore shalt Thou be feared.

5 I look for the Lord, my soul doth wait for Him in His word is my trust.

6 My soul fleeth unto the Lord before

the morning watch, I say, before the morning watch.

7 O Israel trust in the Lord, for with the Lord there is mercy and with Him is plenteous redemption.

8 And He shall redeem Israel: from all his sins.

Glory be to the Father, &c.

As it was in the beginning, &c.

Arising from prayer, you must presently set yourself to recollect your life past, especially since you last received, by that catalogue of sins set down at the end of this book, reading it consideringly over, and at every particular ask your soul, whether you are guilty of that sin? and commit to writing those sins you discover yourself guilty of, with their respective aggravations, viz., if they were committed against knowledge, or on mature deliberation, or against the resistance of conscience, &c.

Pie Pelicane Jesu Domine, me immundum munda
Tuo Sanguine.

I suppose this duty of self-examination, most necessary to this great work, despatched by nine of the clock; when taking the paper in your hand, humbly prostrating yourself, say:

THE good Lord pardon every one that prepareth his heart to seek God, the Lord God of his Fathers, though he be not cleansed according to the purification of the sanctuary.

Then kneel and pray,

PSALM VI.

1 O Lord, rebuke me not in Thine indignation neither chasten me in Thy displea

sure.

:

2 Have mercy upon me, O Lord, for I am weak: O Lord, heal me, for my bones are vexed.

3 My soul also is sore troubled but Lord, how long wilt Thou punish me?

4 Turn Thee, O Lord, and deliver my soul: O save me for Thy mercies' sake.

5 For in death no man remembereth Thee and who will give Thee thanks in the pit?

:

6 I am weary of my groaning

every

night wash I my bed and water my couch with my tears.

7 My beauty is gone, for very trouble : and worn away because of all mine enemies.

8 Away from me, all ye that work vanity : for the Lord hath heard the voice of my weeping.

9 The Lord hath heard my petition : the Lord will receive my prayer.

10 All mine enemies shall be confounded and sore vexed: they shall be turned back, and put to shame suddenly.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son : and to the Holy Ghost.

As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be: world without end. Amen.

O GOD, to whom vengeance belongeth, shew Thyself, but let it be in pity and compassion to Thy wretched and unworthy servant, who in all humility confess myself a wicked and sinful creature. I acknowledge those sins, which, if I would, I cannot hide from Thee, my sins of pride and vain-glory, of hatred and envy, of gluttony and wantonI accuse myself of my wicked desires

ness;

* At these marks

recourse to

those sins noted in your paper.

and thoughts which I have conceived *, of my wanton and evil words which I have spoken *, of have my naughty and ungodly Ideeds which I have committed *. I acknowledge and bewail these my manifold sins and wickednesses, which I from time to time most grievously have committed by thought, word, and deed, against Thy Divine Majesty, provoking most justly Thy wrath and indignation against me. I do earnestly repent, and am heartily sorry for these my misdoings; the remembrance of them is grievous unto me; the burden of them is intolerable. Have mercy upon me, have mercy upon me, most merciful Father, for Thy Son Jesus Christ's sake, forgive me all that is past; and grant that I may ever hereafter serve and please Thee in newness of life, to the honour and glory of Thy name, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

FORGIVE me my sins, O Lord; forgive me the sins of my age, and the sins of my youth; the sins of my soul, and the sins of my body; my secret and my whispering sins; my presumptuous and my crying sins;