sed by them, but rather uplifted by
them.

4. Lastly, men ought not to pray except for things useful and good. But
temporal possessions are at times hurtful, and this not merely
spiritually but even temporally; hence a man ought not to ask them of
God.

But it is clear that since we do not seek temporal things
primarily or for their own sake, but with reference to something
else, we consequently only ask them of God according as they may
be expedient for our salvation.

* * * * *

_S. Augustine: Lord, all my desire is before Thee, and my groaning is
not hid from Thee!_[146] It is not before men who cannot see the heart,
but _before Thee is all my desire_! And let your desires, too, be before
Him, and your Father Who seeth in secret will repay thee. For your very
desire is a prayer, and if your desire is continual your prayer, too, is
continual. Not without reason did the Apostle say: _Pray without
ceasing_.[147] Yet can we genuflect without ceasing? Can we prostrate
without ceasing? Can we lift up our hands without ceasing? How, then,
does he say: _Pray without ceasing_? If by _prayer_ he meant such things
as these then I think we could not pray without ceasing. But there is
another prayer, an interior prayer, which is without ceasing--_desire_.
Whatever else you do, if only you desire that _rest_[148] you cease not
to pray. If you wish to pray without ceasing then desire without
ceasing. Your continual desire is your continual voice; but you will be
silent if you cease to love (_Enarr. in Ps._ xxxvii. 10).

_S. Augustine:_ But all these things are the gifts of my God; I did not
give them to myself; they are good, and all these things am I. He then
is good Who made me; nay, He Himself is my Good, and in Him do I rejoice
for all the good things which I had even as a boy! But in this did I sin
that, not in Him but in His creatures did I seek myself and other
pleasures, high thoughts and truths. Thus it was that I fell into
sorrow, confusion, and error. Thanks be to Thee, my Sweetness, my Honour
and my Trust, O my God! Thanks be to Thee for Thy gifts! But do Thou
keep them for me! For so doing Thou wilt be keeping me, and those things
which Thou hast given me will be increased and perfected, and I myself
shall be with Thee, for even that I should be at all is Thy gift to me!
(_Confessions_, I. xx. 2).

_S. Augustine:_ But I forget not, neither will I keep silence re