John Trapp on Isaiah 49:14-15

Ver. 14. But Zion ſaid] The Church hath her viciſſitudes of joy and ſorrow: mercies and croſſes are interwoven: God checkereth his Providences white and black; he ſpeckleth his work, as Zach. 1.8.

The Lord hath forſaken me] No, never: Non deſerit Deus, etiamſi deſerere videatur: Aug. non deſerit etiamſi deſerat: God may withdraw, but not utterly deſert his; he may change his dispenſation, not his diſpoſition toward them.

My Lord hath forgotten me] My Lord ſtill, though little enjoyed at preſent. So Pſal. 22.1. Plato could ſay that a man might beleeve, and yet not beleeve: I beleeve ſaith he in the Goſpel, help mine unbelief, that is, my weak and wavering faith.

Ver, 15. Can a woman forget her ſucking child] Twere a wonder ſhe ſhould grow out of kind, as to be ſo unkind. The mother faſteth, that her childe may eat; waketh that he may ſleep; is poor to make him rich; ſlighted to make him glorious. Occidar modo imperet, ſaid ſhe in ſtory. Gods love to his is more than maternal. All the mercies of all the mothers in the world being put together, would not make the tythe of his mercy: David ſaith much, Pſal. 103.13. As a Father pittieth his children, &c. great was Jacobs love to Benjamin, Davids to Abſolom, ſo that Job upbraideth him with it, 2 Sam. 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 betwixt the ſword of the murtherer and her dear children.Chronic. l. 5. Melancthon telleth of a Counteſſe of Thuringia, who being compelled by her huſbands 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. This is ſomewhat: but what's all this to the infinite? Was there ever love like Gods love in ſending his ſon to dye for ſinners? Chriſt himſelf wondreth at it, Joh. 3.16. this was a ſic without a ſicut, there being nothing in nature wherewith to parallel it. See Rom. 8.32.

Yea they may forget] They may put off natural affection, as ſome did in times of Popiſh perſecution; Julius Palmers mother for inſtance. King Edward the Martyr was baſely murthered 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.