y Laud, and all the great Bishops of his day, and of the next
generation. Think of the most orthodox Bull, the singularly learned
Pearson, the eloquent Taylor, Montague, Barrow, Thorndike, good dear
Bishop Horne, and Jones of Nayland. Can't you do what they did?"

"The argument is a very strong one," said Charles; "I have felt it: you
mean, then, I must sign on faith."

"Yes, certainly, if necessary," said Bateman.

"And how am I to sign as a Master, and when I am ordained?" asked
Charles.

"That's what I mean by fidgeting," answered Bateman. "You are not
content with your day; you are reaching forward to live years hence."

Charles laughed. "It isn't quite that," he said, "I was but testing your
advice; however, there's some truth in it." And he changed the subject.

They talked awhile on indifferent matters; but on a pause Charles's
thoughts fell back again to the Articles. "Tell me, Bateman," he said,
"as a mere matter of curiosity, how _you_ subscribed when you took your
degree."

"Oh, I had no difficulty at all," said Bateman; "the examples of Bull
and Pearson were enough for me."

"Then you signed on faith."

"Not exactly, but it was that thought which smoothed all difficulties."

"Could you have signed without it?"

"How can you ask me the question? of course."

"Well, do tell me, then, what was your _ground_?"

"Oh, I had many grounds. I can't recollect in a moment what happened
some time ago."

"Oh, then it was a matter of difficulty; indeed, you said so just now."

"Not at all: my only difficulty was, not about myself, but how to state
the matter to other people."

"What! some one suspected you?"

"No, no; you are quite mistaken. I mean, for instance, the Article says
that we are justified by faith only; now the Protestant sense of this
statement is point blank opposite to our standard divines: the question
was, what I was to say when asked _my_ sense of it."

"I understand," said Charles; "now tell me how you solved the problem."

"Well, I don't deny that the Protestant sense is heretical," answered
Bateman; "and so is the Protestant sense of many other things in the
Articles; but then we need not take them in the Protestant sense."

"Then in what sense?"

"Why, first," said Bateman, "we need not take them in any sense at all.
Don't smile; listen. Great authorities, such as Laud or Bramhall, seem
to have considered that we only sign the Articles as articles of peace;
not as really ho