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232 V. THE REFORMATION (A.D. 15201592).
"
Episcopus, or Superattendens, is in Swedish rendered
Tillsynesman (overseer), and for this reason every priest was
also so called in the Scriptures, because he ought to have over
sight or superintendence over those that are under his govern
ment, that things may go well and Christianly with them, as
St. Paul says : Take heed unto yourselves and to all the flock
in which the Holy Ghost has made you bishops, that is over
seers. For the distinction which now exists between bishops
and simple priests was not known at first in Christendom, but
bishop and priest were all one office, as we may observe in many
places of St. Paul s writings ; yet before very long the distinc
tion was so made that the man who had only one congregation
in his charge kept the name of priest, while he who had
government over several congregations, together with their
pastors or priests, received the name of Episcopus.
"And the reason (according to St. Jerome) for this order
was that at the period when Christianity began to grow and
increase, so that even in one town were several congregations,
everyone of which had its own particular bishop or parish-priest,
it came to pass (as is generally the case under such circum
stances) that variance and dissension arose between these
bishops or church-priests, and so it sometimes happened that
the same Christian congregations received notorious damage.
But in order that this calamity might be stayed and stilled, the
aforesaid congregations and their bishops and pastors came to
an agreement that one bishop among them should be chosen, who
should have superintendence over all the rest, and power to
order and provide, both as regards the priests and their con
gregations, that things might go better and more correctly.
And the man who was thus chosen retained the name of bishop,
but the rest remained with the name presbitter, priest, etc.
"
Therefore, since this ordinance was very useful and with
out doubt proceeded from God the Holy Ghost (who gives all
good gifts), so it was generally approved and accepted over the
whole of Christendom, and has since so remained, and must
remain in the future, so long as the world lasts, although the
abuse, which has been very great in this as in all other useful
and necessary things, must be set aside. For, as regards the
rightful office of a bishop, which consists in preaching God s
Word and having oversight over them that are in his charge,
so that they too preach aright, and behave themselves properly,
this the bishops, who have been for a long while past, have let
drop, and in its place have cumbered themselves with worldly
things, yea and with things that serve for just no other purpose
than mischievous misbelief, such as the manifold Jewish, and
heathen consecrations (wixler), baptism of churches and bells,
etc.
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