¶Here folowe .vi. lessons.
THe first lesson is this / that the prelate of the churche [ i] shulde be suche a person as can haue compassyon of the frayltyes and infirmities of his subiectes. The [ ii] seconde is that no man shulde presume of his owne vertue. The thyrde is that we shulde resist and with [ iii] stande synne in the begynnynge / for one synne if it be not shortly put a way by penaunce / it wyll drawe to it an other synne more greuous. exemple herof we haue in Peter which at the first tyme he onely denyed his mayster without ony oth or other wordes.* 1.1 And the seconde tyme / he denyed hym with an othe.* 1.2 And at the thyrde tyme he cursed / he sware and also he denyed Christe. Here ye may se howe one synne bryngeth in an other synne more greuous than the first. The .iiii. lesson is / that if we fall in to [ iiii] ony synne though it be but a small synne to our thynkynge / and also done of onely frayltye / yet for no cause we shulde perseuer and cotynue therin. For to perseuer in synne (as the glose sayth) it gyuethe an encreasynge to the synne.* 1.3 For as the wyse man also sayth: He that dispyseth or lytyll regardeth small synnes / by lytyll and lytyll / he shall fall to moche more greuouse synnes.