9. The relationship of the servants of the Church to each other.
The basic truth that Christ is the sole ruler in the Church through his Word also regulates the relationship of the servants of the Church to each other. Just as the ministers of the Church have no dominion over the congregations, neither do they have dominion over one another. All superordination and subordination among them is not divine, but only human right. Luther expresses this thus: "Neither is the Pope higher than the bishops, nor is the bishop higher than the presbyters by divine right." 1638) The contrary doctrines of the Romanists,1639) the Episcopalians1640) , and other Romanizing
1638) Nec papa est episcopis, nec episcopus est superior presbyteris iure divino. [Google]
1639) Trident, sess. XXIII, De sacramento ordinis, can. 6: "If anyone says that in the Catholic Church there is no hierarchy instituted by divine order, which consists of the bishops, priests and ministers (quae constat ex episcopis, presbyteris et ministris), let him be accursed!" Can. 7: "If anyone says that the bishops are not higher than the priests … let him be accursed!" Can. 8: "If anyone says that the bishops who are assumed by the authority of the Roman Pontiff" (assumuntur, namely to the ministry) "are not legitimate and true bishops, but a human creation (figmentum), let him be accursed!" The Roman Catechism (II, 7, qu. 25) enumerates four different degrees of priestly ordination: Priests, Bishops, Archbishops, Patriarchs, and then places above all of them the Pope. "Apart from all these, the Catholic Church has always revered the Roman Pontiff ..."; she recognizes "in him the highest degree of dignity and the fullness of jurisdiction, conferred on him not by some synodical or other human decisions, but by God. Therefore he, the father and governor of all the believers and bishops and the rest of the rulers ..., stands before the whole Church as the successor of Peter and the true and lawful governor of Christ the Lord."
1640) Cf. Günther, Symbolik, p. 370, where the prayers at the ordination of deacons, priests and bishops are communicated.
526 > The Public Ministry. [English ed. ~ 461-462]
Protestants1641) has not the slightest support in Scripture. As far as the alleged difference between presbyters and bishops is concerned, Scripture calls one and the same person presbyter or bishop, as is clear from Acts 20:17, cf. 28, and Titus 1:5, cf. 7.1642) In short, there is no room in the Christian church for man's rule, under whatever name and pretext it may be exercised, because Christ alone rules the church through his word.