The Pastoral Office

TOP Publications believes this work will be valuable to some who may not be aware that it exists. This is a reprint of a book authored by the Dean of the University of Chichester in England, 1864, and it has survived long enough for the copyright to expire and the book to enter the public domain. A public domain book is one that was never subject to copyright or whose legal copyright term has expired. We realize it will not be popular among some ministers of the Bible and Gospel because of its antiquity, but for those who take the time to read it, a reward lies ahead. Marks, notations and other marginalia present in the original volume will appear in this book - a reminder of this book’s long journey from the original publisher to a library and finally to you. As many stray marks as possible were removed. Dr. Burgon said: “In the front of any treatise on the Christian Ministry, must be placed the study of that much-neglected book, —the Bible. It is the one revelation to man of God’s mind and will, nothing which is not read therein, nor may be proved thereby, is “to be required of any man that it should be believed as an article of the Faith.” All other books which relate to the science of Divinity, have grown directly out of this. They are expositions of its teaching, or formularies of its doctrines; commentaries on its meaning, or exhortations based upon its precepts; treatises on its idiom, or discussions of its difficulties; unfoldings of its prophecies, or helps to its correct understanding. They all point back to the Bible: appeal to it, refer to it, submit themselves to its decision. From this celestial armoury, the minister of CHRIST derives all his weapons. At home and abroad, from what is here revealed he makes himself and others “wise unto salvation.”