By Lewis Bayly
O Merciful Father, who art the Lord of health and of sickness, of life and of death; who killest and makest alive; who bringest down to the grave and raisest up again; I come unto thee, as to the only physician, who canst cure my soul from sin, and my body from sickness. I desire neither life nor death, but refer myself to thy most holy will; for, though we must needs die, and being dead, our lives are as water spilt on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again, yet hath thy gracious providence (whilst life remaineth) appointed means which thou wilt have thy children to use; and (by the lawful use thereof) to expect thy blessing upon thy own means, to the curing of their sickness, and restitution of their health.
And now, O Lord, in this my necessity, I have, according to thy ordinance, sent for thy servant the physician, who hath prepared for me this medicine, which I receive as means sent from thy fatherly hand; I beseech thee, therefore, that as by thy blessing on a lump of dry figs, thou didst heal Hezekiah's sore, that he recovered; and by seven times washing in the river of Jordan, didst cleanse Naaman the Syrian of his leprosy; and didst restore tire man that was blind from his birth, by anointing his eyes with clay and spittle, and sending him to wash in the pool of Siloam; and by touching the hand of Peter's wife's mother, didst cure her of her fever; and didst restore the woman that touched the hem of thy garment: so it would please thee of thy infinite goodness and mercy, to sanctify this medicine to my use, and to give such a blessing unto it, that it may (if it be thy will and pleasure) remove this my sickness and pain, and restore me to health and strength again.
But if the number of those days which thou hast appointed for me to live in this vale of misery be at an end, and that thou hast sent this sickness as thy messenger to call me out of this mortal life, then, Lord, let thy blessed will be done; for I submit my will to thy most holy pleasure. Only, I beseech thee, increase my faith and patience, and let thy grace and mercy be never wanting unto me; but in the midst of all extremities, assist me with thy Holy Spirit, that I may willingly and cheerfully resign up my soul, the price of thy own blood, into thy most gracious hands and custody. Grant this, O Father, for Jesus Christ's sake; to whom, with thee, and the Holy Ghost, be all honour and glory, both now and evermore. Amen.
