Of king Jehoram it is related, that, “for his wicked life, the Lord smote him in his bowels with an incurable disease, so that he voided his intestines daily for the space of two years, and then died of the violence of the[70] distemper.” Two impious kings are recorded to have had the same end, Antiochus Epiphanes, and Agrippa; of whom it was said: Εἰς τἱ τὰ σπλάγχνα τοις ȣ σπλαγχνιζομένοις.[71] [70] _Chronicles, Book ii. Chap. xxi. Verse 18._ [71] _See the Notes of Grotius on this Place._ Of what avail are bowels to those who have no bowels? Now this distemper seems to me to be no other than a severe dysentery. For in this the intestines are ulcerated, and blood flows from the eroded vessels, together with some excrement, which is always liquid, and slimy matter; and sometimes also some fleshy strings come away, so that the very intestines may seem to be ejected. CHAPTER V. _The disease of king Hezekiah._ “When Hezekiah lay sick of a mortal disease, and the prophet Isaiah went and declared to him, by God’s express command, that he should die and not recover; the Lord moved by his prayer, commanded Isaiah to return, and tell him, that he would cure him in three days. Whereupon Isaiah ordered a _mass of figs_ to be taken, and laid it on the boil; whereby he recovered[72].” [72] _2 Kings, Chap. xx._ Now to me it seems extremely probable, that this king’s disease was a fever, which terminated in an abscess: For in cases of this kind, those things are always proper, which promote suppuration; especially digestive and resolving cataplasms; and dried figs are excellent for this intention. Thus, the Omnipotent, who could remove this distemper by his word alone, chose to do it by the effect of natural remedies. And here we have an useful lesson given us in adversities, not to neglect the use of those things, which the bountiful Creator has bestowed on us, and at the same time to add our fervent prayers, that he would be graciously pleased to prosper our endeavours. CHAPTER VI. _The disease of Old-age._ Old-age _itself is a disease_, as the poet has properly expressed it[73]. Wherefore as I have frequently read with pleasure, the very elegant description of it, given by Solomon the wisest of kings; I think it will not be foreign to my design, to attempt an explanation and illustration thereof. For it contains some things not easy to be understood, because the eloquent preacher thought proper to express all the circumstances allegorically. But first I will lay the discourse itself before my readers, which runs thus. [73] _Terent. Phorm. Act. iv. Scen. i. v. 9._