On the anniversary of the death of Laurentius Petri, here are some excerpts from his 1571 Church Order. “Nor shall anyone who has been called, interrogated, and examined for the office of preacher take that office before he has been publicly, before the congregation, confirmed in and appointed to the office through the laying on of hands and prayer. Since the Holy Spirit, without whom this office in no way can be performed, is accustomed to be given through such means, it would be extremely deadly if anyone would despise it, especially since it has been so used by everyone from the time of the Apostles and so has become customary in Christendom. For a public minister of the Church does not have a legitimate right to public ministry because he has received the laying on of hands from such and such a person, but because he has been chosen to that office either directly by God or indirectly through the Church, and administers it correctly. For since the power of choosing belongs to the Church after God, whatever she does to choose a minister is always legitimate and valid from whichever priest or bishop the candidate elect ones may later receive the laying on of hands, but only if he is faithful and Christian. For the Church is not bound to admit against his will whom the Bishop ordains, but the Bishop is bound to ordain whom the Church chooses. The Church may entrust the power of electing ministers to the bishop or his officials, as is now generally the case. Nevertheless, if that same Bishop, having received the power from the Church, abuses it, he becomes a wolf, that is, a false teacher, a usurer, a simoniac, a whoremonger, etc. (such as the papist bishops for the most part now ordain) instead of a suitable and salutary minister, then the Church, having received her legitimate power, can, nay, must, cast such a scoundrel, just as one would say a blot and a plague, from office, and then substitute another chosen in the place of the castaway whom she herself has found suitable.”