Schaff - History of the Christian Church Vol. 8 - Media Sabda Org

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secundum Scripturae usum nihil a Presbyteris differre Episcopos, sed
vitio et corruptela factum esse, ut qui primas tenebant in singulis
civitatibus Episcopi vocari coeperint.” Comp. also his commentaries
on the relevant passages in the Pastoral Epistles, and his Inst. IV. ch.
III. § 8, and ch. IV. § 2 (where he quotes Jerome in full). The Lutheran
symbols likewise teach the identity of the episcopate and presbyterate
(see the second Appendix to the Smalcaldian Articles, p. 341, ed. J. T.
Müller); but the Lutheran Churches in Germany have Superintendents
and General Superintendents (called “Bishops” in Prussia, “Prelates” in
Württemberg). Sweden, Norway, and Denmark retained or
reintroduced episcopacy (jure humano, not jure divino). The church
government of the Lutheran Churches in America is a compromise
between the Presbyterian and synodical system and congregational
independency.
ft680 Melanchthon in this respect went much further and was willing to
submit to a papacy, provided the pope would tolerate the free
preaching of the gospel. He subscribed the Smalcaldian Articles with
the restriction: “De pontifice statuo, si evangelium admitteret, posse ei
propter pacem et communem tranquillitatem Christianorum ...
superioritatem in episcopos ... jure humano etiam a nobis permitti.”
ft681 He says in this letter, dated Geneva, 5th Dec., 1554: “The ancient
Church indeed instituted patriarchates, and to different provinces
assigned certain primacies, that by this bond of concord the bishops
might remain more closely united among themselves. Exactly as if, at
the present day, one archbishop should have a certain pre-eminence in
the illustrious kingdom of Poland, not to lord it over the others, nor
arrogate to himself a right of which they were forcibly deprived; but for
the sake of order to occupy the first place in synods, and cherish a holy
unity between his colleagues and brethren. Then there might be either
provincial or urban bishops, whose functions should be particularly
directed to the preservation of order. As nature dictates, one of these
should be chosen from each college, to whom this care should be
specially confided. But it is one thing to hold a moderate dignity such
as is not imcompatible with the abilities of a man, and another to
comprise the whole world under one overgrown government. What the
Romanists keep prating about one single head is then altogether
nugatory, because neither the sacred commandment of God, nor the
established usage of the Church sanctions a second head to be joined