Digital Verbum Edition
David Clarkson is one of the most prominent Puritan ministers of the seventeenth century, contemporary of John Owen and John Bunyan. He worked closely with Owen, pastoring Owen’s congregation after his death. He was known for combining sound doctrine with practical application. Various sermons and publications by Clarkson are included in this resource. Themes of the Reformation and other Protestant thinkers run throughout Clarkson’s writing, establishing him among the Puritan fathers.
In the Logos edition of The Works of David Clarkson, you get easy access to Scripture texts and to a wealth of other resources in your digital library. Hovering over Scripture references links you instantly to the verse you’re looking for, and with Passage Guides, Word Studies, and a wealth of other tools from Logos, you can delve into study of Puritan thinking like never before!
“Obs. Secret idolaters shall have no inheritance in the kingdom of God. Soul idolatry will exclude men out of heaven as well as open idolatry. He that serves his lusts is as uncapable of heaven as he that serves, worships idols of wood or stone.” (Page 300)
“Now, when we make other things our chief aim, or main design, we set them up in the stead of God, and make them idols; when our chief design is to be rich, or great, or safe, or famous, or powerful; when our great aim is our own ease, or pleasure, or credit, or profit and advantage; when we aim at, or intend any [thing] more, or anything so much, as the glorifying and enjoying of God: this is soul idolatry.” (Page 301)
“No entering the kingdom except ye be converted, Mat. 18:3. Now conversion is, the apostle tells us, 1 Thes. 1:9, a ‘turning from idols;’ not only from those with which men commit open, but secret idolatry. Till the heart be turned from idols, till this secret idolatry be renounced, there is no conversion; and without this no salvation, no inheritance in the kingdom of God, &c.” (Page 305)
“Other things may be loved, but he will be loved above all other things. He is to be loved transcendently, absolutely, and for himself; all other things are to be loved in him and for him.” (Page 302)
“5. Love. That which we must love we worship as our God; for love is an act of soul-worship” (Page 302)
David Clarkson (1622–1686) was born in England. He attended Cambridge University and was a pastor for most of his career. Clarkson pastored with John Owen, becoming pastor after Owen’s death in 1683.