Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee.
Ver. 15. Can a woman forget her sucking child?] It were a wonder she should grow out of kind as to be so unkind. The mother fasteth that her child may eat, waketh that he may sleep, is poor to make him rich, slighted to make him glorious. Occidar mode imperet, said she in story. God's love to his is more than maternal. All the mercies of all the mothers in the world being put together would not make the tithe of his mercy. David saith much, Psa 103:13 "as a father pitieth his children," &c. Great was Jacob's love to Benjamin, David's to Absalom, so that Joab upbraideth him with it. 2Sa 19:6 But God here saith more, "Can a woman forget," &c. The harlot could not yield to have her child divided. Arsinoe interposed her own body between the sword of the murderer and her dear children. Melanchthon telleth of a countess of Thuringia, who being compelled by her husband's cruelty to go into banishment from her children, when she took leave of her eldest son she bit a piece of his cheek out, amoris notam cruento morsu imprimens, and so marked him for her own. a This is somewhat; but what is all this to the infinite? Was there ever love like God's love in sending his Son to die for sinners? Christ himself wondereth at it; Joh 3:16 this was a sic so, without a sicut, just as, there being nothing in nature wherewith to parallel it. See Romans 8:32 .
Yea, they may forget.] They may put off natural affection, as some did in times of Popish persecution; Julius Palmer's mother for instance. King Edward the martyr was basely murdered by his own mother. Egelred succeeded him, and much mourned for his brother, being but ten years old, which so enraged his mother, that taking wax candles, which were readiest at hand, she therewith scourged him so sore, that he could never after endure wax candles to be burnt before him.
a Chronic., lib. v.