CHAPTER XXVII.
OF MINISTERING IN THE CONGREGATION.
"It is not lawful for any man to take upon him the office of public preaching, or ministering the Sacraments in the congregation, before he be lawfully called, and sent to execute the same. And those we ought to judge lawfully called and sent, which be chosen and called to this work by men who have public authority given unto them in the congregation, to call and send ministers into the Lord's vineyard."—Article XXIII.
§ 1. "That the bishops, presbyters, deacons, subdeacons, and readers, may not overstep the limits appointed them by Christ. We all ordain that every man shall abide in the degree conferred upon him, and not overstep the limits which have been fixed not by us but by God, since our Lord has said, 'Whosoever heareth you heareth Me, and whosoever heareth Me heareth Him that sent Me; and whosoever despiseth you despiseth Me, and whosoever despiseth Me despiseth Him that sent Me.' Now, if each of the different inanimate creatures keeps its own station and place, and if the night and day, the sun, moon, stars, the elements, the variations of the atmosphere, the months, weeks, days, and hours, are obedient to the limits appointed for their several operations, as it is written: 'Thou hast fixed his bounds so that he cannot pass;' and of the sea, 'and established My decree upon it, and set bars and doors, and said: Hitherto shalt thou come and no further;'—how much more is it your duty not to dare to disorder the least of those things which by the will of God have been ordered and settled for you? But many have been guilty of this, and have disturbed the ordinances, and the laying-on of hands given severally to each, and have dared to take to themselves degrees which were not committed
