always pulling ourselves up, if we would have a ' single eye ' in all things.
‘You cannot serve God and Mammon.' According to St Paul ‘ covetousness... is the service of idols; ' [1] and those who love good cheer make ' a God of their belly.' [2] We make gods for ourselves out of all the objects we love. Every vicious attachment is idolatry: — and who would willingly serve an idol, and transfer the glory due to God to a false divinity? The very thought horrifies one; and yet it is what everybody, who loves anything more than God, does. His thoughts, his affections, the purest incense of his heart — his Whole worship — goes to that thing, whatever it may be. What misery! Is it really possible that a rational being, possessing the power of offering himself, can make the sacrifice to any object except God?
Uproot, then, from your hearts, avarice, ambition, love of sensuous pleasure — all creature loves; for they are so many idols that you have erected within you. It is not enough for the creature not to have your whole heart: — it must not really possess the least portion of it. Give all to God: — dive to the bottom, and empty out your whole heart to Him! He will know
