Article 36

BEING thus joined, every [local] church hath power given them from Christ, for their wellbeing, to choose among themselves meet persons for elders and deacons, being qualified according to the word, as those which Christ hath appointed in His testament, for the feeding, governing, serving, and building up of His Church; and that none have any power to impose on them either these or any other.

Acts 1:23,26, 6:3, 15:22,25; Rom.12:7,8; 1 Tim.3:2,6,7; 1 Cor. 12:8,28; Heb. 13:7,17; 1 Pet.5:1 - 3, 4:15.