Author of health, who all the plants that grow
Hast form'd! who hast the tyrant Death subdu'd!
Thy blessing on this medicine bestow,
Which thou hast with salubrious pow'rs endu'd!

Thou various herbs and drugs of ev'ry kind
Didst, for the benefit of man, ordain,
Which were at first for his relief design'd,
Whene'er attack'd by sickness, and by pain.

I therefore, in obedience to thy will,
Have now recourse unto the healing art,
In hopes of help from my physician's skill:
Thy blessing, Lord! upon the means impart.

I know full well, no med'cine here below
Can my inveterate disease subdue,
If thou dost not thy benison bestow
On him, who gives, and him, who takes it too.

Then to these drugs, O Lord! thy blessing give,
Which I this moment am about to take,
That my disorder'd frame they may relieve,
And ev'ry pain dispel, and ev'ry ache.

The simple figs, of old, at thy command
King Hezekiah's dang'rous ail reliev'd:
Bid thou, O Lord! this med'cine, out of hand,
Remove the malady, with which I'm grieved.

Thou with the liver of a fish, of yore,
Didst heal old Tobit's long-benighted eyes:
Do thou to me immediate health restore
By the prescription that before me lies.

As thou impow'red'st Jordan's limpid wave,
To wash the Syrian's leprosy away :
So give this physic pow'r my life to save,
And my distemper's fury to allay!

As with thy spittle only, thou, O Lord!
Of the blind man a perfect cure didst make;
So let me be to perfect health restor'd
By this same dose, which I'm about to take.

With, or without these means (didst thou but please)
Thou cou'dst the most confirm'd disease subdue:
Thou hast the pow'r, to give me present ease -
O, join the will unto the pow'r - do!

But, if my dissolution thou hast will'd,
And to thy mercy summon'd me away,
O, may thy sacred pleasure be fulfill'd!
With due submission I thy will obey.

Vouchsafe, O Lord! to give me strength and grace,
Vouchsafe to give me fortitude, the while,
That I, with patience, my disease may face,
And, like a martyr, at its tortures smile!

Give me thy pow'rful spirit, O my God!
That, in my weakness, I may courage find
To praise thy name, to bear thy cross and rod,
With resignation and a willing mind.

Bid thou me be prepar'd, to be dissolv'd,
That to thy kingdom I may quickly fly,
And yield my soul into thy hands, resolv'd
Ever to live with thee - tho' now I die.

I know, O Lord! that thou this dire disease
Canst, at thy pleasure, totally remove -
Yet, if thou wilt not these my pains appease -
O take my soul into the joys above!