Matthew Poole and continuators on Jeremiah 18:11

11 ¶ Now therefore go to, speak to the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, saying, Thus saith the LORD, Behold I frame evil against you, and devise a device against you: return ye now every one from his evil way, and make your ways, and your doings good .

The Lord fixeth a particular application to the more general doctrine which he had before delivered. God had told this people, that though he had by his Prophet denounced his wrath, and anger, and threatned to pluck them up and destroy them, yet if they turned from their sinful courses, he would shew mercy to them, and alter the course of his Providence. Now he tells them, that this was their case, God had a work upon the wheel against them, and was framing evil against them, and bringing ruine upon them, therefore it was their wisdom, now to return from their evil wayes, and to make their doings good; those who think that these exhortations are vain, if man hath not a power in himself to turn from his evil way, ought to consider, that none denieth, that man hath a power in himself by vertue of that common grace of God which he denieth to no man, to turn from such evil courses as were before mentioned, viz. not to carry out burdens upon the Sabbath day, not to bow down to, and worship idols, but to worship the true and living God according to the prescription of his Word. In short there is no man but hath a power to do much more then he doth do, and so much as may serve to avert temporal judgment, and although no man without special Grace, beyond the outward means of grace, hath a power to do whatsoever God requireth in order to his Salvation, yet he hath a power to do so much, as if he doth, no instance can be given of any to whom, so doing, God denied his special Grace, inabling him to do whatsoever God requireth of him in order to Eternal Life.

Marginal references: 2 Kings 17.13. Chap. 7.3. and 25.5. and 26.13. and 35.15.