_S. Augustine:_ I stand as a beggar at the gate, He sleepeth not on Whom I call! Oh, may He give me those three loaves! For you remember the Gospel? Ah! see how good a thing it is to know God's word; those of you who have read it are stirred within yourselves! For you remember how a needy man came to his friend's house and asked for three loaves. And He says that he sleepily replied to him: "I am resting, and my children are with me asleep." But he persevered in his request, and wrung from him by his importunity what his deserts could not get. But God wishes to give; yet only to those who ask--lest He should give to those who understand not. He does not wish to be stirred up by your weariness! For when you pray you are not being troublesome to one who sleeps; _He slumbereth not nor sleeps that keepeth Israel._[119] ... He, then, sleeps not; see you that your faith sleeps not! (_Enarr. in Ps._ cii. 10). _S. Augustine:_ Some there are who either do not pray at all, or pray but tepidly; and this because, forsooth, they have learnt from the Lord Himself[120] that God knows, even before we ask Him, what is necessary for us. But because of such folk are we to say that these words are not true and therefore to be blotted out of the Gospel? Nay, rather, since it is clear that God gives some things even to those who do not ask--as, for instance, the beginnings of faith--and has prepared other things for those only who pray for them--as, for instance, final perseverance--it is evident that he who fancies he has this latter of himself does not pray to have it (_Of the Gift of Perseverance_, xvi. 39). "I will sing to the Lord as long as I live; I will sing praise to my God while I have my being. Let my speech be acceptable to Him; but I will take delight in the Lord."[121] IV Ought We To Pray To God Alone? In Job v. 1 we read: _Call, now, if there be any that will answer thee, and turn to some of the Saints._ Prayer is addressed to a person in two ways: in one way as a petition to be granted by him; in another way as a petition to be forwarded by him. In the former way we only pray to God, for all our prayers ought to be directed to the attaining of grace and glory, and these God alone gives: _The Lord will give grace and glory._[122] But in the latter way we set forth our prayers both to the holy Angels and to men; and this, not that through their intervention God may know our petitions, but rather that by their prayers and merits our petitions may gain their end. Hence it is said in the Apocalypse: _And the smoke of the incense of the prayers of the Saints ascended up before God from the hand of the Angel._[123] And this is clearly shown, too, from the style adopted by the Church in her prayers: for of the Holy Trinity we pray that mercy may be shown us; but of all the Saints, whomsoever they may be, we pray that they may intercede for us. Some, however, maintain that we ought to pray to God alone, thus: