ice, the power of winning favours reposes upon grace.

3. Lastly, S. Chrysostom says[251]: "The Father does not readily hear
prayers not dictated by the Son." But in the prayer which Christ
dictated it is said: _Forgive us our debts as we also forgive our
debtors_, which sinners do not. Hence sinners either lie when they say
this prayer, and so do not deserve to be heard, or, if they do not say
it, then they are not heard because they do not make use of the form of
prayer instituted by Christ.

But, as we have explained above, the _Lord's Prayer_ is spoken
in the name of the whole Church. Consequently, if a man--while
unwilling to forgive his neighbour his debts--yet says this
prayer, he does not lie; for while what he says is not true as
regards himself, it yet remains true as regards the Person of
the Church outside of which he deservedly is, and he loses, in
consequence, the fruit of his prayer. Sometimes, however,
sinners are ready to forgive their debtors, and consequently
their prayers are heard, in accordance with those words of
Ecclesiasticus[252]: _Forgive thy neighbour if he hath hurt
thee, and then shall thy sins be forgiven to thee when thou
prayest._

"With the Lord shall the steps of a man be directed, and he
shall like well his way. When he shall fall, he shall not be
bruised, for the Lord putteth His hand under him. I have been
young, and now am old; and I have not seen the just forsaken,
nor his seed seeking bread."[253]

XVII

Can We rightly term Supplications," "Prayers," "Intercessions," and
"Thanksgivings," parts of Prayer?

The Apostle says to Timothy[254]: _I desire therefore first of all that
supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made by all
men._

For prayer three things are required: first of all, that he who prays
come nigh to God; and this is signified by the name _prayer_, for prayer
is "the uplifting of the mind towards God." Secondly, petition is
required, and is signified by the word _postulation_; now a petition may
be set forth in definite terms--and this some term _postulation_,
properly so called; or it may be set forth in no express terms, as when
a man asks for God's help, and this some call _supplication_; or, again,
the fact in question may be simply narrated, as in S. John[255]: _He
whom Thou lovest is sick_, and this some call _insinuation_. And
thirdly, there is required a reas