SERMON TEXT: 17:9 “The heart is more deceitful than all else And is desperately sick; Who can understand it?
This post contains a video reading of Chapter 12 of Archibald Alexander’s book: Practical Sermons to be read in Families and Social Meetings
After listening to two video readings of Alexander’s sermons on Jeremiah 17:9, I decided to post the video and a portion from his book which describes two of the ‘deceitful imaginations’ of the heart. Below, you will find a PDF of Alexanders entire book to download to your PC if you should desire.
[I heard these sermons because I subscribe to the edifying YouTube site noted just below.]
The book portion of chapter 12 is the initial 11 minutes and 30 seconds of the video.
The following video is from the YouTube site, Christian Sermons and Audio Books [links and narrative of Archibald Alexander are at end of this post]:
[The following portion of Archibald Alexander’s book was copied and pasted from Archive.org, linked at end of post, for those who use only smartphones. Some paragraphs were divided for ease of reading; bracketed statements, emboldening and underscoring are mine.]
Sermon XII, from, Practical Sermons to be read in families and social meetings by Archibald Alexander
DECEITFULNESS OF THE HEART.
The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked. — Jeremiah xvii. 9
These words do not describe the moral condition of any particular man, or of any one nation, but are spoken generally of human kind. The meaning is the same as if it had been said, every heart is “deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked.” Not that all men are in practice equally wicked; or that, in fact, all hearts are equally deceitful; for there is a progress in sin to which no limits can be assigned.
When, therefore, it is asserted that all men are totally depraved, the meaning is not, that all are as depraved as they can be, but that even before moral acts commence, there is in all men an utter destitution of all righteousness. As to original sin, all men stand on the same level. All are destitute of any true love to God. ” The carnal mind is enmity against God.” By nature we are all ” dead in sin,” and ” children of wrath even as others.”
We learn from the example of Paul, in the third chapter of Romans, that the declarations in the Old Testament respecting the character and sinful state of mankind, are applicable to all men, in all ages. And even those traits of moral character, which, when exhibited, had particular reference to the Jewish people, are applicable to other nations. And this rule of interpretation depends on two principles; first, that human nature is essentially the same in all ages and among all people; and secondly, that the sacred Scriptures were written for the instruction of people at all times.
The words of our text, however, are free from all objection arising from a special reference to any man or nation ; they contain a general proposition, which is as true and as applicable in our age as in another.
There are two qualities here ascribed to the human heart, and both in the superlative degree, viz. deceitfulness, exceeding that of every other thing ; and desperate or deadly wickedness — wickedness, incurable by any human means.
In this discourse we propose to treat of the exceeding deceitfulness of the heart; and may treat of its desperate wickedness at another time. [The next sermon treats wickedness.]
That is properly called deceitful which presents objects in a false light, or leads to a misconception of the nature of things within us and around us. And that is properly called deceitful, which conceals its own true character, and assumes the appearance of what it is not.
- One of the ways in which the deceitfulness of the heart manifests itself is in its tendency to blind the understanding in regard to religious truth.
It is certainly a matter of primary importance, that our views of the doctrines and precepts of religion be correct. True religion is distinguished from superstition on one side, and enthusiasm on the other, by this, above every other criterion, that it is founded in just intellectual conceptions of the great truths of divine revelation.
All pure and holy affections toward God, in which the very essence of religion consists, must be excited by correct views of the divine attributes; and all good conduct proceeds from good motives or pure affections.
[Knowing and believing doctrines found in scriptures is foundational.]
To have the mind darkened with ignorance, or perverted by error, is inconsistent with the exercise of holiness, or the practice of true virtue. Evidence is always on the side of truth; but that evidence may be overlooked, or so distorted, that the truth may not be perceived, and instead of it error may be embraced and defended as truth.
The reason why the minds of men reject the truth is, the depravity of the heart.
“This is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light. A deceived heart hath turned them aside.”
The grossest errors of idolaters are traced by the apostle Paul, to a wrong state of heart. “When they knew God, they glorified him not as God, but became vain in their imaginations [Romans 1:21].” And it is a principle in the government of God, that men who love not the truth, and deliberately turn away from it, are given up to judicial blindness, and to the dominion of sin [see 2 Thessalonians 2].
So, when the conduct of the heathen is described by Paul, and their voluntary attachment to idolatry in preference to the worship of the true God, he adds, “Therefore, God gave them up to uncleanness [Rom. 1:24].”
And in another place he says, ” Because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause, God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie, that they all might be damned, who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness [2 Thes. 2:10-12].”
Infidelity, and every species of dangerous error, may be traced to the deceitfulness of the heart. If men possessed good and honest hearts, they would search diligently for the truth, and would be disposed to judge impartially of its evidence; and, as was said, evidence being on the side of truth, and the truth congenial with the moral feelings of the upright mind, it would always be embraced.
Atheism itself is a disease rather of the heart, than of the head. And idolatry, which darkens with its portentous shadows a large portion of our globe, owes its origin to the deceitfulness and wickedness of the human heart. It was not for want of evidence that men apostatized from the worship of the true God to idolatry ; “for the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse. Because that when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful, but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened [Rom. 1:20-21].”
The influence which the dispositions of the heart have on the judgments of the understanding, to pervert them, is a matter of daily observation. [end page 164]
The connection between truth and holiness is so intimate, and also between error and sin, that even in minor deviations from the true doctrine, if we could trace it, we should find that every obliquity [deviation from the true] of this kind produced a corresponding effect on the moral character of the person.
- Again, the exceeding deceitfulness of the heart appears in the delusive promises of pleasure, which it makes, in the indulgence of sinful desires.
This illusion probably arises from an original principle of our constitution. Had man continued upright [as before the FALL], this expectation of pleasure would never be disappointed. For then the supreme affections were fixed on God, in whom there is an infinite fullness to satisfy the desires of every creature.
But now, when the heart is turned away from God, and the supreme love of the heart placed on the creature, it is no wonder that continual disappointment of our expectations of happiness in the indulgence of our desires is experienced.
This is so uniformly the fact, that it is a common remark, that men enjoy more pleasure in the pursuit of the objects of the world, than in their possession.
This delusion of pleasure in prospect, particularly affects the young. With them experience is wanting, which serves to correct this error of the imagination ; but even experience is insufficient to cure the disease.
Men, when disappointed in one pursuit, commonly turn with unabated ardor to another; or they attribute their want of enjoyment to some wrong cause, and still press on in the fond expectation of realizing their hopes in some other pursuit.
Vain expectation!
They are deluded by an unsubstantial image which will forever keep at the same distance before them, and constantly elude their ardent hopes. [The vain image they see of themselves enjoying their desired thing, person, accomplishment….]
The experience of all who have gone before, testifying that all results in vanity and vexation of spirit in the possession of earthly good, has no effect to communicate wisdom to those who come after them. The young generation runs off in the mad career with as sanguine hopes of happiness, as if no one had ever been disappointed. And in this matter, the world does not become wiser by growing older.
There is another deception of the heart which has relation to the indulgence of natural desires. The person may be apprehensive at first, from former experience, that some evil to soul or body may arise from unlawful indulgence. A pause is produced, and hesitation is felt; but appetite, when strong, pleads for indulgence, and is fruitful in pleas; among which none is more false and deceitful, than that if gratified in this instance, it will never crave indulgence any more.
And this false promise often prevails with the vacillating sinner; and he plunges into the gulf, which is open to receive him. For the former deception of the imagination, prior to experience, there seemed to be some plausible pretext; but for this, there is not the shadow of a reason. That any desire or appetite should be eradicated by indulgence, is contrary to all experience.
It is a law of our nature, obvious to all, that every affection is strengthened by exercise, and every appetite becomes stronger by being freely gratified. Yet this deceitful plea is made again and again,”Yield but in this one instance, and you shall never be solicited again.” After this single indulgence, says the craving appetite, you may be forever obedient to the dictates of conscience.
[End of paragraph 1, page 167; sermon began on page 161.]
There is a saying in AA, “One is too many; and a thousand, not enough.”
In other words, with addictions, it only takes one indulgence to get the fire started again and that fire cannot be satisfied. It is like being on a treadmill, endlessly chasing satisfaction to no avail; something like the Donkey with the carrot pictured above.
Link to free online copy of this book:
https://archive.org/details/practicalsermon00alex/page/160/mode/2up?q=sermon+xii&view=theater
If you are using a PC, then you may download the PDF of this book via the following link:
I plan to post more from this sermon and the next, which is on “Wickedness of the Heart.”
LINKS AND NARRATIVE THAT ACCOMPANIED VIDEO AT YOUTUBE:
Deceitfulness of the Heart (Jeremiah 17:9) – Archibald Alexander
From the YouTube site of Christian Sermons and Audio Books
Video-page link: https://www.youtube.com/@ChristisLord/videos
Playlist-page link: https://www.youtube.com/@ChristisLord/playlists
▶️Archibald Alexander Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLzOwqed_gET1VI_RMlwW_GSslBt-_FRx1
Jeremiah 17:9 New American Standard Bible
17:9 “The heart is more deceitful than all else And is desperately sick; Who can understand it?
Matthew 1:21 New American Standard Bible 21 She will give birth to a Son; and you shall name Him Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.”
Archibald Alexander – (1772-1851), American Presbyterian minister and educator Archibald Alexander was born in Rockbridge County, Virginia, 17 April 1772, and died in Princeton, New Jersey, 22 October 1851. His grandfather, of Scottish descent, came from Ireland to Pennsylvania in 1736, and after a residence of two years removed to Virginia.
William, father of Archibald, was a farmer and trader. At the age of ten Archibald was sent to the academy of Rev. William Graham at Timber Ridge meetinghouse (since developed into Washington and Lee University), at Lexington.
At the age of seventeen he became a tutor in the family of General John Posey, of The Wilderness, twelve miles west of Fredericksburg, but after a few months resumed his studies with his former teacher. At this time a remarkable movement, still spoken of as “the great revival,” influenced his mind and he turned his attention to the study of divinity.
He was licensed to preach 1 October 1791, ordained by the presbytery of Hanover 9 June 1794, and for seven years was an itinerant pastor in Charlotte and Prince Edward cos. In 1796 he became president of Hampden Sydney College, Virginia, but in 1801 resigned, and visited New York and New England. During his tour he went to see the Rev. Dr. Waddel, the celebrated blind preacher mentioned by Wirt in his “British Spy.”
The result of this visit was his marriage to Dr. Waddel’s daughter Janetta. Immediately after he resumed his presidency, but, owing to insubordination among the students, retired, and became in 1807 pastor of the Pine Street Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia. The degree of D. D. was conferred on him by the College of New Jersey in 1810, and in the same year he was elected president of Union College in Georgia, a fact which remained unknown even to his family until after his death.
On the organization of the theological seminary at Princeton in 1812 Dr. Alexander was unanimously chosen as the leading professor. As the number of students increased and other professors were added to the faculty, he was enabled to direct his attention more particularly to the department of pastoral and polemic theology, in promoting which, with the general interests of the institution, he labored with zeal and success till his death, a period of nearly forty years.
His powers both for pulpit oratory and polemic disquisition were extraordinary. He was always busy, and from 1829 to 1850 scarcely a number of the Princeton Review appeared without an article from his pen. His style was idiomatic and forcible. With the exception of occasional sermons and contributions to periodicals, he published nothing until he had entered his fifty-second year.
His first work was Outlines of the Evidences of Christianity (1823), which has been translated into various foreign languages and is used as a textbook in Colleges. It was reprinted in London in 1828, and again with a new edition in 1833, accompanied with introductory notes by Rev. John Morison, D.D. This was followed by a Treatise on the Canon of the Old and New Testaments (1826); Lives of the Patriarchs (1835) ; Essays on Religious Experiences (1840) ; History of African Colonization (1846); History of the Log College (1846); History of the Israelitish Nation (1852), and other works. He also contributed largely to periodicals. He left several works in manuscript, of which the Outlines of Moral Science (1852) was pronounced by the Westminster Review to be a “calm, clear stream of abstract reasoning, flowing from a thoughtful, well-instructed mind, without any parade of logic, but with an intuitive simplicity and directness which gives an almost axiomatic force.”
Other posthumous works were Duties and Consolations of the Christian ; Patriarchal Theology ; History of the Presbyterian Church in Virginia ; Biographical Sketches of Distinguished American Clergymen and Alumni of the College of New Jersey; and Church Polity and Discipline.