mother turn her back upon her sucking infant, and forget to administer to its necessities, when even her bodily feelings, no less than the tender emotions of her mind, must interest her deeply in supplying its wants. Rare as are instances of a mother being entirely destitute of natural affection, some have been found who, through shame, have murdered their own offspring, and, through the pressure of famine, have even devoured them. It was foretold that such instances would occur3; and we know that they did occur at different times b : but, says God, though there may be found, not only one but many such unnatural mothers, no such forgetfulness of my children shall ever be found in me ; I will never forget my Church at large, nor any individual of it in particular. As for my Church at large, " I will keep it ; I will water it every moment: lest any hurt it, I will keep it day and nightc:" and, as for the weakest individuals that are found in it, I will con- sider them as infants with whom I have travailed in birth; and will carry them in my bosom, till time and age have worn away their strength, and covered their heads with hoary locks'1. Both collectively and individually, " Mine eye shall be upon them from one end of the year unto the other end of the yeare;" and not only shall " their place of defence be the mu- nitions of rocks, but bread shall be given them, and their water shall be suref."]
2. His confirmation of it —
[To confirm his assertion the more strongly, he introduces two striking and well-known illustrations. The first is taken from a custom which prevailed among the Jews, of imprinting on their flesh, by punctures or by staining, an image of the temple, in order at all times to bring it to their remembrance. ' Now,' says God, ' I have you, and all my children, imprinted thus upon my heart, and on my armsg. I have set you there as a seal or signet, which shall operate at all times to remind me of you, and to interest me in your favour : yea, " I have graven you on the palms of my hands ;" so that I can never open my hand to dispense blessings to any of my creatures, but I must instantly behold your name, and be stirred up to supply your every want.' What a beautiful and encouraging represen- tation is this ! Nor is the other illustration at all less comfort- ing to the mind. It refers to an architect, who, whilst he is only just beginning to lay the foundation, has a perfect idea of the whole building in his mind, and sees it there as plainly as if it were already complete. Thus does God even now
a Lev. xxvi. 29. * 2 Kings vi. 28, 29. Lam. iv. 10.
c Isai. xxvii. 3. d Isai. xlvi. 3, 4. e Deut. xi. 12.
f Isai. xxxiii. 16. e Cant. viii. 6.