part, he believed much of these sort of things was not expected from
men in active life.

_Worthy._ I should think, Mr. Bragwell, that those who are most
exposed to temptations stand most in need of prayer; now there are
few, methinks, who are more exposed to temptation than men in
business; for those must be in most danger, at least from the world,
who have most to do with it. And if this be true, ought we not to
prepare ourselves in the closet for the trials of the market, the
field, and the shop? It is but putting on our armor before we go out
to battle.

_Bragwell._ For my part, I think example is the whole of religion,
and if the master of a family is orderly, and regular, and goes to
church, he does every thing which can be required of him, and no one
has a right to call him to an account for any thing more.

_Worthy._ Give me leave to say, Mr. Bragwell, that highly as I rate
a good example, still I must set a good principle above it. I know I
must keep good order, indeed, for the sake of others; but I must
keep a good conscience for my own sake. To God I owe secret piety, I
must, therefore, pray to him in private; to my family I owe a
Christian example, and for that, among other reasons, I must not
fail to go to church.

_Bragwell._ You are talking, Mr. Worthy, as if I were an enemy to
religion. Sir, I am no heathen--Sir, I am a Christian; I belong to
the church; I go to church; I always drink prosperity to the church.
You yourself, as strict as you are, in never missing it twice a day,
are not a warmer friend to the church than I am.

_Worthy._ That is to say, you know its inestimable value as a
political institution; but you do not seem to know that a man may be
very irreligious under the best religious institutions; and that
even the most excellent only furnishes the _means_ of being
religious, and is no more religion itself than brick and mortar are
prayers and thanksgivings. I shall never think, however high their
profession, and even however regular their attendance, that those
men truly respect the church, who bring home little of that religion
which is taught in it into their own families or their own hearts;
or, who make the whole of Christianity to consist in a mere formal
attendance there. Excuse me, Mr. Bragwell.

_Bragwell._ Mr. Worthy, I am persuaded that religion is quite a
proper thing for the poor; and I don't think that the multitude can
ever be kept in order without it; and I am a sort