21. Prayer of a Servant.

Merciful God! Thou who hast redeemed and liberated me, through the precious suffering and death of Thy dear 033 Son Jesus Christ, from everlasting servitude, from the power of sin, from the power of darkness, and from the cruel tyranny of the devil, and hast made me lord over death and hell,—I pray Thou wouldst in mercy grant, that I may not conceive a dislike to my calling of bodily service, into which Thou hast placed me according to Thy will and good pleasure, and that I may not impatiently rebel against Thy order, nor begrudge other people their higher station, but that I may obey Thy will with a cheerful heart, and that I do not regard it otherwise than that I were serving Thee, O God in Heaven, and not men on earth. To this end, dear Father, do Thou assist me, that I may, in true knowledge and fear, serve Thee, the highest Lord in Heaven and on Earth; that I may love Thee above all things, placing in Thee all my hope and salvation and walking unblamably according to Thy commandments; and that I may also, in addition to this, be obedient in all things which are not displeasing unto Thee, to my master and mistress, according to the flesh, not only to them that are kind and 034 lenient, but also to them who are rude and froward, serving them with patience, in all fear and simplicity of heart, just as I should serve Christ, my Lord, not with mere visible works, as if to gain favor before men, but with a sincere heart for the sake of Thy command and precept. Grant in mercy, that I may be found faithful in every thing that is enjoined upon and intrusted unto me, that I may neither neglect nor destroy anything, nor cause any mishap or loss through my carelessness, and that I may not defraud others, nor covet their property which is entrusted to me and placed into my hands. Preserve unto me good health, strengthen the members of my body and increase my powers; bestow upon me knowledge and wisdom, that I may be able to perform the labor of my master and mistress, to improve their property by Thy divine help, that they may be blessed through my industry and increase abundantly, and grant that all that I do may redound to Thy glory and be profitable unto me to the blessed exercise unto godliness for the sake of Jesus Christ, Thy dear Son who liveth 035 and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Spirit, world-without-end. Amen!