For the past few years I’ve been curious about the conscience – specifically how the Bible defines it and its role or purpose in the Christian life. Because I’ve been thinking about this for a while, I’ve kept a list of resources on the conscience. Whenever I’ve read a book and it mentioned the conscience, I wrote it down. In case anyone else is interested in this topic, I’ll put the references below (in no particular order). You’ll notice that many of these references, though not all, are from the Puritans. And it’s not because I’ve read more Puritan works than others, it’s simply because the Puritans discussed the conscience quite frequently. Since some of these books have been published by different companies, I linked the editions that I used (and gave the page numbers for).
R. C. Sproul, Essential Truths of the Christian Faith, chapter 53.
Thomas Watson, The Lord’s Prayer, 227-228.
Thomas Watson, The Great Gain of Godliness, 38-39, 123.
Thomas Watson, The Godly Man’s Picture, 72.
Thomas Watson, Heaven Taken by Storm, p. 53.
Willem Teelinck, The Path of True Godliness, 62, 90.
Thomas Brooks, The Secret Key to Heaven, 192, 265, 267ff.
Joseph Alleine, A Sure Guide to Heaven, 49, 77ff.
I.D.E. Thomas, A Puritan Golden Treasury, 59-61.
Christopher Love, Effectual Calling and Election, 148ff, 153, 193, 201.
Richard Winter, The Roots of Sorrow: Reflections on Depression and Hope, 184ff, 305.
J. I. Packer, Concise Theology, 96-97.
John Flavel, The Mystery of Providence, 188.
Richard Sibbes, The Love of Christ, 106, 144, 148.
Robert Murray M’Cheyne, Sermon on John 16:8, “Conviction of Righteousness.“
Douglas Groothuis, Christian Apologetics (the index gives a list on “conscience” references).
Other references on the conscience include the confessions (especially the Westminster Standards), Calvin’s Institutes, and commentaries on those Scripture texts that talk about the conscience (mostly in the NT). Obviously this list is very brief, but hopefully some might find it helpful. And, as always, feel free to chime in on resources on this topic you have found helpful.
shane lems
sunnyside wa
I happen to have Flavel’s ” The Mystery of Providence” ( I love Puritan paperbacks!), so I looked up page 188. In the 3rd paragraph, it reads, “Well then, Providence in concurrence with the Word may give some encouragement to us in our way; but no testimony of Providence is to be accepted against the Word.” Sound counsel for this day and time when so many go by their “Spirit led feelings” and do not consult God’s Word!