The Rota: or, A model of a free-state, or equall common-wealth: once proposed and debated in brief, and to be again more at large proposed to, and debated by a free and open society of ingenious gentlemen.

PART. 2.

For the Religious part, it is proposed,

45. THat the Universities, being prudently refor∣med, be preserved in their Rights and In∣dowments for and towards the education, and provi∣sion of an able Ministry.

46. That the legall and ancient provision for the National Ministry be so augmented, that the meanest sort of Livings or Benefices, without defalcation from the greater, be each improved to the Revenue of one hundred pounds a year, at the least.

47. That a Benefice becoming void in any Parish, the Elders of the same may assemble, and give notice unto the Vice-chancellor of either University, by Certificate; specifying the true value of that Bene∣fice: that the Vice-chancellor upon receipt of such Certificate, be obliged to call a Congregation of his University, that the Congregation of the University to this end assembled, having regard unto the value of the Benefice, make choice of a person fitted for the Ministeriall Function, and return him unto the Parish so requiring: that the Probationer, thus re∣turned unto a Parish, by either of the Universities, exercise the office, and receive the Benefits, as Minister

of the Parish for the term of one year. That the term of one year expired, the Elders of the Parish assem∣ble, and put the election of the Probationer unto the Ballot. That if the Probationer have three parts in four of the Balls or Votes in the Affirmative, he be thereby ordained and elected Minister of that Parish; not afterwards to be degraded or removed but by the Censors of the Tribe, the Phylarch of the same, or the Council of Religion, in such cases as shall be unto them reserved by Act of Parliament. That in case the Probationer come to faile of three parts in four at the Ballot, he depart from that Parish; and if he return unto the University, it be without diminu∣tion of the former offices or preferments which he there enjoyed, or any prejudice unto his future pre∣ferment: and that it be lawfull in this case for any Parish to send so often to either University, and be the duty of either Vice-chancellor, upon such Cer∣tificates to make return of different Probationers, till such time as the Elders of that Parish have fitted themselves with a Minister of their own choice and liking.

48. That the Nationall Religion be exercised ac∣cording to a Directory in that case, to be made and published by Act of Parliament. That the Nationall Ministry be permitted to have no other publique pre∣ferment or office in this Common-wealth. That a National Minister being convict of Ignorance or scan∣dall, be moveable out of his Benefice by the Censors of the Tribe, under an appeale unto the Phylarch, or to the Council for Religion.

49. That no Religion being contrary unto, or

destructive of Christianity, nor the publique exer∣cise of any Religion, being grounded upon, or in∣corporated into a forreign interest, be protected by, or tolerated in this state. That all other Religions, with the publique exercise of the same, be both to∣lerated and protected by the Council of Religion: and that all Professors of any such Religion, be equally capable of all Elections, Magistracies, Preferments, and offices in this Common-wealth, according unto the orders of the same.