Elevation of Preachers

I need the preached Word.  I doubly honor my pastor.  But after arriving approximately halfway in the Harmony of the Gospels, a common theme has been the necessity of preaching for assurance of salvation: "Christ therefore declares that, by the preaching of the Gospel, is revealed on the earth what will be the heavenly judgment of God, and that the certainty of life or death is not to be obtained from any other source."  This is not the best statement, but the latest.  I realize the common man did not own a Bible at the time nor perhaps could read, but I cannot help but think this lends itself to episcopacy and an unwarranted distinction between laity and clergy.  (Also this represents Calvin's lessening of the more powerful binding and loosing.)