Chapter X.—We May Superadd Prayers of Our Own to the Lord’s Prayer.

Since, however, the Lord, the Foreseer of human necessities,65    See Matt. vi. 8. said separately, after delivering His Rule of Prayer, “Ask, and ye shall receive;”66    Matt. vii. 7; Luke xi. 9. and since there are petitions which are made according to the circumstances of each individual; our additional wants have the right—after beginning with the legitimate and customary prayers as a foundation, as it were—of rearing an outer superstructure of petitions, yet with remembrance of the Master’s precepts.

CAPUT X .

Quoniam tamen Dominus prospector humanarum necessitatum, seorsum post traditam orandi disciplinam, Petite, inquit, et accipietis (Luc., XI, 8), et sunt quae petantur pro circumstantia cujusque, praemissa legitima et ordinaria oratione, quasi fundamento, 1165B accidentium jus est desideriorum, jus est superfluendi extrinsecus petitiones, cum memoria tamen praeceptorum, ne quantum a praeceptis, 1166A tantum ab auribus Dei longe simus.