By pre­cepts taught of ag­es past,
Now let us keep again the fast,
Which, year by year, in or­der meet
Of for­ty days is made com­plete.

The law and seers that were of old
In di­vers ways this Lent fore­told,
Which Christ Him­self, the Lord and guide
Of ev­ery sea­son, sanc­ti­fied.

More spar­ing there­fore let us make
The words we speak, the food we take,
Deny our­selves in mirth and sleep,
In strict­er watch our sens­es keep.

In pray­er to­ge­ther let us fall,
And cry for mer­cy, one and all;
And weep be­fore the Judge, and say,
O turn from us Thy wrath away.

Thy grace have we of­fend­ed sore
By sins, O God, which we de­plore;
Pour down up­on us from above
The rich­es of Thy par­don­ing love.

Remember, Lord, though frail we be,
That yet Thine han­di­work are we:
Nor let the ho­nor of Thy name
Be by an­oth­er put to shame.

Forgive the ill that we have wrought,
Increase the good that we have sought;
That we at length, our wan­der­ings o’er,
May please Thee now and ev­er­more.

Blest Three in One, and One in Three,
Almighty God, we pray to Thee,
That Thou wouldst now vouch­safe to bless
Our fast with fruits of right­eous­ness.