Chapter XI. Such iniquitous greed to be sternly rebuked

If you are a disciple of Christ, let your zeal kindle, let your authority arise against this impudence and widespread pestilence. Look to your Master, see what He does, listen as He says 'Let my servant follow me.'¹ He does not prepare ears to hear, but a scourge wherewith to smite. He neither utters words nor attends to them. For he is not sitting to judge, but pursuing to punish. Nevertheless, he plainly indicts the offenders — they had made the house of prayer a place of merchandise. Do you follow His example.

Let traffickers of this description blush before your countenance, if possible; if that may not be, let them be afraid. (You have the scourge in your hand. Let the money-changers fear ; let them not trust in their money, but distrust its power ; let them hide their money from you because they know you are more ready to pour it out than to accept it. By earnestly and constantly acting thus you will gain many, because you will win over to more honourable pursuits those who follow after filthy lucre, and you will preserve many from even daring to attempt anything of the kind. And there is something else. There will be a substantial increase in the leisure time which I am urging you to secure, for you will thus redeem not a few brief intervals to devote to leisurely consideration, sometimes by not hearing the business at all, on other occasions by entrusting it to some one else. When you deem the matter worthy to be heard by yourself, by judging the case on its merits you will save both time and expense. I am thinking of adding a few remarks on this topic, but I prefer to do so at the beginning of another book. Here let me end. I am afraid you may not only find my matter unpleasant, but think me tedious.