Some, however, argue that our prayers ought not to be continual, thus:
1. Our Lord said[225]: _And when you are praying speak not much_. But it is not easy to see how a man can pray long without "speaking much"; more especially if it is a question of vocal prayer.
But S. Augustine says to Proba: "To prolong our prayer does not involve 'much-speaking.' 'Much-speaking' is one thing; the unceasing desire of the heart is another. Indeed we are told of the Lord Himself that _He passed the whole night in the prayer of God_[226]; and, again, that _being in an agony He prayed the longer_,[227] and this that He might afford us an example." And Augustine adds a little later: "Much speaking in prayer is to be avoided, but not much petition, if fervent attention lasts. For 'much-speaking' in prayer means the use of superfluous words when we pray for something necessary; but much petition means that with unceasing and devout stirrings of the heart we knock at His door to Whom we pray; and this is often a matter rather of groans than of words, of weeping than of speaking."
2. Further, prayer is but the unfolding of our desires. But our desires are holy in proportion as they are confined to one thing, in accordance with those words of the Psalmist[228]: _One thing I have asked of the Lord, this will I seek after._ Whence it would seem to follow that our prayers are acceptable to God just in proportion to their brevity.
But to prolong our prayer does not mean that we ask for many things, but that our hearts are continuously set upon one object for which we yearn.
3. Once more, it is unlawful for a man to transgress the limits which God Himself has fixed, especially in matters which touch the Divine worship, according to the words: _Charge the people lest they should have a mind to pass the limits to see the Lord, and a very great multitude of them should perish_.[229] But God Himself has assigned limits to our prayer by instituting the _Lord's Prayer_, as is evident from the words: _Thus shalt thou pray_.[230] Hence we ought not to extend our prayer beyond these limits.
But our Lord did not institute this prayer with a view to tying us down exclusively to these words when we pray, but to show us that the scope of our prayer should be limited to asking only for the things contained in it, whatever form of words we may use or whatever may be our thoughts.