Meditation on the needs of our neighbor has in view the common well-being of Church and Republic. This is the fruit of true and sincere love, which gathers us all into one mystical body under one Head, Christ, and commends to us serious care for the Church as a whole, and for all its members. If a member of the body does not strive, according to its share, to preserve the well-being of the whole bodily structure, or does not suffer when a fellow member is suffering, it is no true member. It is the same with the mystical body of Christ [Col. 1:24, 1 Cor. 12:12 ff]. And therefore, whoever is a true and living member of the Christian Church ought pray daily [Rom. 12:12, Eph. 6:18, Acts 3:1] for the preservation of the Word, for pastors and hearers [Col. 4:2-4, Eph. 3:14-21], for magistrates [1 Tim. 2:2], and those under authority, and for the household. These are the three hierarchies divinely instituted for well-being in this life and for the extension of the heavenly kingdom [1 Tim. 2:1-4, Rom. 13:1-6, Eph. 6:4]. He ought pray also for relatives and benefactors, to whom he is bound by some special tie, and for enemies and persecutors [Mat. 5:44, Rom. 12:14], whose conversion and salvation he ought earnestly desire, and for those afflicted and suffering hardship, whose misfortunes should move his soul. (The Daily Exercise of Piety by Johann Gerhard, Repristination Press, p.79)

(Continued)  You have placed a treasure chest of Your gifts in the shrine of my heart. You have placed in that treasure gifts, traits, and abilities of Your choosing and number. Far be it from me to take credit for them, or claim to have deserved them, for I am unworthy. Kindle by Your Spirit the flame of piety and charity in my heart. Grant, I ask, that I be able to cover my heart with the ashes of humility. How insignificant is that praise which one man glorifies another? The one who is great in Your sight, O greatest Creator, is truly great. He who is pleasing to You is pleasing to the One who assigns a value to all things. But no one is pleasing to You unless he is displeasing to himself.

You are the Life of my life. You are the Soul of my soul. Therefore I leave my life and soul in Your hands and cling to You completely, with a humble heart. May Your eminence regard my lowliness. May Your highness regard my worthlessness [Psa. 113:4–7]. Oh why do I so desire to be praised by the world, since nothing in it is pure? Why do I glorify myself so much, since the yoke of sin so oppressively weighs me down? May a holy fear pierce my heart like a spike, so it will not be puffed up with the most dangerous illness, spiritual pride. May my countless sins ever be before my eyes, but may my good works, whatever sort they are, be forgotten. I am troubled by the memory of my sins more than I am pleased by the glory of any impure or imperfect good work which I have done. In You alone I rejoice and glory. You are my joy and glory for eternity, Amen. (The Daily Exercise of Piety by Johann Gerhard, Repristination Press, p.62-63)