_Bragwell._ Yes, I am in charity with the whole world in general; because the greater part of it has never done me any harm. But I won't forgive old Giles, who broke down my new hedge yesterday for firing--Giles, who used to be so honest. _Worthy._ And yet you expect that God will forgive you who have broken down his sacred laws, and have so often robbed him of his right--you have robbed him of the honor due unto his name--you have robbed him of his holy day by doing your own work, and finding your own pleasure in it--you have robbed his poor, particularly in the instance of Giles, by withholding from them, as overseer, such assistance as should prevent their being driven to the sin of stealing. _Bragwell._ Why, you are now charging me with other men's sins as well as my own. _Worthy._ Perhaps the sins which we cause other men to commit, through injustice, inconsideration, and evil example, may dreadfully swell the sum of our responsibility in the great day of account. _Bragwell._ Well, come, let us make haste and get through these commandments. The next is, "Thou shalt not commit adultery." Thank God, neither I nor my family can be said to break the seventh commandment. _Worthy._ Here again, remember how Christ himself hath said, "whoso looketh on a woman to lust after her, hath already committed adultery with her in his heart." These are no far-fetched expressions of mine, Mr. Bragwell, they are the words of Jesus Christ. I hope you will not charge him with having carried this too far; for if you do, you charge him with being mistaken in the religion he taught; and this can only be accounted for, by supposing him an impostor. _Bragwell._ Why, upon my word, Mr. Worthy, I don't like these sayings of his which you quote upon me so often, and that is the truth of it, and I can't say I feel much disposed to believe them. _Worthy._ I hope you believe in Jesus Christ. I hope you believe that creed of yours, which you also boasted of repeating so regularly. _Bragwell._ Well, well, I'll believe any thing you say, rather than stand quarreling with you. _Worthy._ I hope then, you will allow, that since it is adultery to look at a woman with even an irregular thought, it follows from the same rule, that all immodest dress in your daughters, or indecent jests and double meanings in yourself; all loose songs or novels; and all diversions also which have a like dangerous tendency, are forbidden by the seventh commandment; for it is most plain from what Christ has said, that it takes in not only the act, but the inclination, the desire, the indulged imagination; the act is only the last and highest degree of any sin; the topmost round, as it were, of a ladder, to which all the lower rounds are only as so many steps and stages.