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THe thyrde poynte is / thou shalt not sette lyght by synne / as thus. What euer synne it be lytel or grete / drede it ryght dyscretly in thy conscyence and
set not lytell there-by. For as I rede what man þat passeth mesure in takynge of his lyuelode as often more than hym nedeth that man offendeth god / this semeth to many men full lytell trespas: But this holy man saynt Austyn sayth: It is no lytell synne for as moche as we trespas euery daye there-in for the more partye; In as moche as we synne therin euery day we synne therin often / & by that we multeplye our synnes & that is full peryllous / therfore it is full nedeful to drede al suche venyall synnes & sette not lytell by theym. Also venyall synnes be they neuer so lytell / they be moche to be dradde. As the same clerke sheweth by ensample of lytell bestes where they be many to-gyder / be they neuer so lytell yet they slee & do moche harme; Also þe granes of sande be full lytell / but yet where a shyp is ouer-charged with sande it must nedes synke or drenche. Ryght so it fareth by the synnes; be they neuer so lytell they be full peryllous. For but yf a man be [þe] rather ware & put theym awaye they shall make hym forto synne deedly. Therfore yf thou wylt haue a clene loue to god / charge in thy conscyence euery synne lytell & grete & withstand in the begynnynge & put it out as soone as god wyll gyue to the grace, with contrycyon, confessyon & som almesdedes. And than thou shalt kepe the thyrde poynte of this degree of loue. — Here is reherced the mater of these poyntes. ¶ Thus ben declared the thre poyntes of the seconde degre of loue. In the fyrste thou art counseyled to loue all vertues and hate all vyces. In the seconde poynte, that thou haue no synne in vsage but that thou voyde it soone & that thou hate all other euyll custome. In þe thyrde poynt that thou [be] not to lyght of conscyence / but that thou be ware & drede euery synne lytell & grete by counseyl of thy confessour. Yf thou kepe thus these poyntes for the loue of god than thou louest god in the seconde degree of loue / that is to saye in a clene loue. Loue than saddely in this degree / & by goddes grace thou shalt the soner come to the thyrde degree of loue.
THe thyrde degree of loue is called a stedfast loue. Yf thou wylt come to this degre of loue þou must kepe fyue poyntes. The fyrste is thou shalt loue god with all thy desyre. The seconde is: what euer thou do thynke vpon the worshyp & drede of god. The thyrde is thou shalt do no synne vpon trust of other good dedes. The fourth is thou shalt rule the so dyscretly þat thou fayle not for [to] feruent wyll. The fyfth is that thou fall not from thy good lyuynge for feynte herte or by temptacyon.