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DIRIGE VIAS MEAS DOMINE!, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: Open thyself, and then look in
Last Line: Yet happy who these rules observe.
Subject(s): Sin; Worship; Faith


I

OPEN thyself, and then look in;
Consider what thou mightst have bin,
And what thou art now made by sin.

II

Asham'd o' th' state to which th' art brought,
Detest, and grieve for each past fault;
Sigh, weep, and blush for each foul thought.

III

Fear, but despair not, and still love;
Look humbly up to God above,
And Him thou'lt soon to pity move.

IV

Resolve on that which prudence shows;
Perform what thou dost well propose;
And keep i' th' way thou hast once chose.

V

Vice, and what looks like vicious, shun;
Let use make good acts eas'ly done:
Have zeal, as when th' hadst first begun.

VI

Hope strongly, yet be humble still;
Thy good is God's; what thine, is ill:
Do thus, and thee affect He will.

VII

Pray, when with others; when alone,
To scorn, or praise, be as a stone:
Forget thyself, and all, but One.

VIII

Remove what stands 'twixt God and thee.
Use not thy fancy, Him to see:
One with His will, make thy will be.

IX

Look purely on God when thou doest well;
But not on heaven; much less on hell:
Thou'lt get Him thus in thee to dwell.

X

Useless our Master we do serve;
Our labours no reward deserve;
Yet happy who these rules observe.





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