\\INTRODUCTION TO JEREMIAH 18\\

This chapter expresses the sovereign power of God ever his creatures,
and his usual methods of dealing with them; it threatens destruction to
the Jews for their idolatry; and is closed with the prophet's complaint
of his persecutors, and with imprecations upon them. The sovereign power
of God is expressed under the simile of a potter working in his shop,
and making and marring vessels at pleasure, \\#Jer 18:1-4\\; the application
of which to God, and the house of Israel, is in \\#Jer 18:5,6\\; and is
illustrated by his usual dealings with kingdoms and nations; for though
he is a sovereign Being, yet he acts both in a kind and equitable way;
and as the potter changes his work, so he changes the dispensations of
his providence, of which two instances are given; the one is, that
having threatened ruin to a nation, upon their repentance and good
behaviour he revokes the threatening, \\#Jer 18:7,8\\; and the other is,
that having made a declaration of good to a people, upon their sin and
disobedience he recalls it, and punishes them for their wickedness,
\\#Jer 18:9,10\\; then follows a prophecy of the destruction of the Jews in
particular, in which they are exhorted to repentance to prevent it;
their obstinacy is observed; their folly in departing from God, and
worshipping idols, is exposed; and they are threatened with utter ruin,
\\#Jer 18:11-17\\; the conspiracy and evil designs of the Jews against the
prophet, their malice and ingratitude, are complained of by him,
\\#Jer 18:18-20\\; his imprecations upon them, and prayers for their
destruction, are delivered out in \\#Jer 18:21-23\\.