Secondly, The affliction or suffering he complains of; and that is Thirst. There are two sorts of thirst. One natural and proper, another spiritual and figurative.1 Christ felt both at this time. His soul thirsted in vehement desires and longings to accomplish and finish that great and difficult work he was now about. And his body thirsted by reason of those unparalleled agonies it laboured under, for the accomplishing hereof. But it was the proper natural thirst he here intends, when he said, I thirst. Now this natural thirst of which he complains, is the raging of the appetite for humid nourishment, arising from the scorching up of the parts of the body for want of moisture. And amongst all the pains and afflictions of the body, there can scarcely be named a greater, and more intolerable one than extreme thirst. The most mighty and valiant have stooped under it. Mighty Sampson after all his conquests and victories, complains thus, Judg. 15.18. And he was sore athirst, and called on the Lord, and said, thou hast given this great deliverance into the hand of thy servant, and now shall I die for thirst? and fall into the hands of the uncircumcised. Great Darius drank filthy water,2 defiled w•th the bodies of the slain, to relieve his thirst; and protested, never any drink was more pleasant to him. Hence, Isai. 41.17. Thirst is put to express the most afflicted state. When the poor and needy seek water, and there is none; and their tongue faileth for thirst: I the Lord will hear them, (i. e.) when my people are in extreme necessities under any extraordinary pressures and distresses; I will be with them, to supply and relieve them. Thirst causes a most painful compression of the heart, when the body like a sponge sucks and draws for moisture, and there is none. And this may be occasioned either by long abstinence from drink, or by the labouring and expense of the spirits under grievous agonies, and extreme tortures; which like a fire within soon scorch up the very radical moisture.
Secondly, The affliction or suffering he complains of; and that is Thirst. There are two sorts of thirst. One natural and proper, another spiritual and figurative.1 Christ felt both at this time. His soul thirsted in vehement desires and longings to accomplish and finish that great and difficult work he was now about. And his body thirsted by reason of those unparalleled agonies it laboured under, for the accomplishing hereof. But it was the proper natural thirst he here intends, when he said, I thirst. Now this natural thirst of which he complains, is the raging of the appetite for humid nourishment, arising from the scorching up of the parts of the body for want of moisture. And amongst all the pains and afflictions of the body, there can scarcely be named a greater, and more intolerable one than extream thirst. The most mighty and valiant have stooped under it. Mighty Sampson after all his conquests and victories, complains thus, Judg. 15.18. And he was sore athirst, and called on the Lord, and said, thou hast given this great deliverance into the hand of thy servant, and now shall I die for thirst? and fall into the hands of the uncircumcised. Great Darius drank filthy water,2 defiled w•th the bodies of the slain, to relieve his thirst; and protested, never any drink was more pleasant to him. Hence, Isai. 41.17. Thirst is put to express the most afflicted state. When the poor and needy seek water, and there is none; and their tongue faileth for thirst: I the Lord will hear them, (i. e.) when my people are in extream necessities under any extraordinary pressures and distresses; I will be with them, to supply and relieve them. Thirst causes a most painful compression of the heart, when the body like a sponge sucks and draws for moisture, and there is none. And this may be occasioned either by long abstinence from drink, or by the labouring and expence of the spirits under grievous agonies, and extream tortures; which like a fire within soon sc•rch up the very radical moisture.
- 1Sitis est cupidit•s nutrimenti, potissimum humidi orta exa refactione portium corporis animalis; quae irrigat une egent. K•ck•rm Physics p. 404.Sitis est cupidit•s nutrimenti, potissimum humidi orta exa refactione portium corporis animalis; quae irrigat une egent. K•ck•rm Physicks p. 404.
- 2C•jus modi voluptatis hactenus inexpertus sui? Plutarch.
