Of the single eye

Sermon on the Mount. St Matthew.

(The Gospel History, Section 43*)

The lamp of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is the darkness!

Of the single eye

(The Saviour of the World, Vol II Book III Poem XLIX)

The Lord spake on:—
Thou ’plainest,—How to know what I shall choose!
Things of the world beguile me and confuse;
I gather worthless treasures in my hand,—
How can I lay these up at Thy command?

My son, first teach thyself to think aright;
The things so dazzled thee, ’twas not their light
But an illusive brilliance cast by thee;
The eye itself brings light by which to see.

See to it that thou keep the single eye;
That eye, in all the star-bespangled sky,
Sees but one Sun of righteousness, nor bends
To that mock lustre its own shining lends.

Seek not, thy glory, power, advancement, praise,—
Or how shalt ardent eye to heaven raise?
But look on Him thou servest, so thy frame
With guiding light of love shall be aflame!

Dark is the body, with the evil eye,
As house which doth the light of day deny;
But light and giving light, the eye that sees—
Secure, the seeing man and goes with ease!

St. Matthew vi. 22, 23