18:4 And the vessel that he made of a clay was marred in the
hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel, as
it seemed good to the potter to make [it].
(a) As the potter has power over the clay to make what pot
he will, or to break them, when he has made them: so
have I power over you to do with you as seems good to
me, (Isa 45:9, Ro 9:20,21).
18:8 If that nation, against which I have pronounced, shall turn
from their evil, I will b repent of the evil that I
thought to do to them.
(b) When the Scripture attributes repentance to God, it is
not that he does contrary to that which he has ordained
in his secret counsel: but when he threatens it is a
calling to repentance, and when he gives man grace to
repent, the threatening (which ever contains a
condition in it) takes no place: and this the scripture
calls repentance in God, because it so appears to man's
judgment.
18:12 And they said, c There is no hope: but we will walk
after our own plots, and we will every one do the
imagination of his evil heart.
(c) As men who had no remorse but were altogether bent to
rebellion and to their own selfwill.
18:14 Will [a man] leave the snow of Lebanon [which cometh] from
the rock of the field? d [or] shall the cold flowing
waters that come from another place be forsaken?
(d) As no man that has thirst refuses fresh waters which
he has at home, to go and seek waters abroad to quench
his thirst: so they should not seek help and comfort
from strangers and leave God who was present with
them.
18:15 Because my people hath forgotten me, they have burned
incense to vanity, and they have caused them to stumble in
their ways [from] the e ancient paths, to walk in paths,
[in] a way not cast up;
(e) That is, the way of truth which God had taught by his
law, (Jer 6:16).
18:17 I will scatter them as with an east wind before the enemy;
I will show them the back, and f not the face, in the
day of their calamity.
(f) I will show my anger and not my favour toward them.
18:18 Then said they, Come, and let us devise plots against
Jeremiah; for the law g shall not perish from the
priest, nor counsel from the wise, nor the word from the
prophet. Come, and let us smite him with the h tongue,
and let us not give heed to any of his words.
(g) This argument the wicked have always used against the
servants of God. The church cannot err: we are the
Church, and therefore whoever speaks against us, they
ought to die, (1Ki 22:24, Jer 7:4,20:2, Mal 2:4)
and thus the false Church persecutes the true Church,
which stands not in outward pomp, and in multitude,
but is known by the graces of the Holy Spirit.
(h) Let us slander him and accuse him: for we will be
believed.
18:21 Therefore i deliver their children to the famine, and
pour out their [blood] by the force of the sword; and let
their wives be bereaved of their children, and [be]
widows; and let their men be put to death; [let] their
young men [be] slain by the sword in battle.
(i) Seeing the obstinate malice of the adversaries, who
grew daily more and more, the prophet being moved with
God's Spirit, without any carnal affection prays for
their destruction because he knew that it would be to
God's glory, and profit of his Church.
