[1] The Holy Gospel, since it has come to light, rebukes and reveals all ‘the works of darkness,’ as St. Paul calls them, in Romans 13:13. For it is a brilliant light, which lightens all the world and teaches how evil are the world's works and shows the true works we ought to do for God and our neighbour. Therefore some of the merchants, too, have been awakened, and have become aware that in their business and commercial dealings many a wicked trick and hurtful financial practice is in use, and it must be feared that the word of Ecclesiasticus applies here, and that ‘merchants can hardly be without sin.’ Nay, I think St Paul's saying in the last chapter of 1 Timothy 6:10, fits the case, ‘Avarice is a root of all evil,’ and ‘Those that are minded to get rich fall into the devil's snare and into many profitless and hurtful lusts, which sink men in destruction and perdition.’

[2] I think, to be sure, that this book of mine will be quite in vain, because the mischief has gone so far and has completely got the upper hand in all lands; and because those who understand the Gospel ought to be able in such easy, external things to let their own conscience be judge of what is proper and what is not. Nevertheless I have been urged and begged to touch upon these doubtful financial manipulations of late and to expose some of them, so that even though the majority may not want to do right, some, if only a few, may yet be delivered from the gaping jaws of avarice. For it must be that among the merchants, as among other people, there are some who belong to Christ and would rather be poor with God than rich with The Devil, as says Psalm 37:16, ‘Better is the little that the righteous hath than the great possessions of the godless.’ For their sake, then, we must speak out.