"Why, but if so be, we are saved--not shall be." "We are, if we ever shall be." "But is that true Catholic doctrine?" "It is the true doctrine of God's love. Either, therefore, it is Catholic doctrine, or Catholic doctrine hath erred from it." "But the Church cannot err!" "Truth, so long as she keep her true to God's law. The Church is men, not God! and God must be above the Church. But what is the Church? Is it this priest or that bishop? Nay, verily; it is the congregation of all the faithful elect that follow Christ, and do after His commandments. So long, therefore, as they do after His commands, and follow Him, they be little like to err. `He that believeth in the Son _hath_ everlasting life.'" "But we all believe in our Lord!" said Amphillis, feeling as if so many new ideas had never entered her head all at once before. "Believe what?" said Marabel, and she smiled. "Why, we believe that He came down from Heaven, and died, and rose again, and ascended, and such-like." "Wherefore?" "Wherefore came He? Truly, that know I not. By reason that it liked Him, I count." "Ay, that was the cause," said Marabel, softly. "He came because--shall we say?--He so loved Amphillis Neville, that He could not do without her in Heaven: and as she could win there none other way than by the laying down of His life, He came and laid it down." "Marabel! Never heard I none to speak after this manner! Soothly, our Lord died for us: but--" "But--yet was it not rightly for us, thee and me, but for some folks a long way off, we cannot well say whom?" Amphillis span and thought--span fast, because she was thinking hard: and Marabel did not interrupt her thoughts. "But--we must merit it!" she urged again at last. "Dost thou commonly merit the gifts given thee? When man meriteth that he receiveth--when he doth somewhat, to obtain it--it is a wage, not a gift. The very life and soul of a gift is that it is not merited, but given of free favour, of friendship or love." "I never heard no such doctrine!" Marabel only smiled. "Followeth my Lady this manner?" "A little in the head, maybe; for the heart will I not speak." "And my La--I would say, Mistress Perrote?" Amphillis suddenly recollected that her mistress was never to be mentioned. "Ask at her," said Marabel, with a smile. "Then Master Norman is of this fashion of thinking?" "Ay. So be the Hyltons all." "Whence gat you the same?" "It was learned me of my Lady Molyneux of Sefton, that I served as chamberer ere I came hither. I marvel somewhat, Amphillis, that thou hast never heard the same, and a Neville. All the Nevilles of Raby be of our learning--well-nigh."