However, since as we have before observed, our Saviour prescribeth to us to be not only harmless as doves, but wise as serpents; give me leave to prescribe to you some rules, which the most ignorant person may follow for the conduct of his life, with safety in perilous times, against false accusers.

1st, Let me advise you to have nothing at all to do with that which is commonly called politics, or the government of the world, in the nature of which it is certain you are utterly ignorant, and when your opinion is wrong, although it proceeds from ignorance, it shall be an accusation against you.  Besides, opinions in government are right or wrong, just according to the humour and disposition of the times; and, unless you have judgment to distinguish, you may be punished at one time for what you would be rewarded in another.

2dly, Be ready at all times, in your words and actions, to shew your loyalty to the king that reigns over you.  This is the plain manifest doctrine of Holy Scripture:  “Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake, whether it be to the king as supreme,” &c.[6] And another apostle telleth us, “The powers that be are ordained of God.”  Kings are the ordinances of man by the permission of God, and they are ordained of God by his instrument man.  The powers that be, the present powers, which are ordained by God, and yet in some sense are the ordinances of man, are what you must obey, without presuming to examine into rights and titles; neither can it be reasonably expected, that the powers in being, or in possession, should suffer their title to be publicly disputed by subjects without severe punishment.  And to say the truth, there is no duty in religion more easy to the generality of mankind, than obedience to government:  I say to the generality of mankind; because while their law, and property, and religion are preserved, it is of no great consequence to them by whom they are governed, and therefore they are under no temptation to desire a change.

[Footnote 6:  I Peter, ii. 13.]

3dly, In order to prevent any charge from the malice of false witnesses, be sure to avoid intemperance.  If it be often so hard for men to govern their tongues when they are in their right senses, how can they hope to do it when they are heated with drink?  In those cases most men regard not what they say, and too many not what they swear; neither will a man’s memory, disordered with drunkenness, serve to defend himself, or satisfy him whether he were guilty or no.

4thly, Avoid, as much as possible, the conversation of those people, who are given to talk of public persons and affairs, especially of those whose opinions in such matters are different from yours.  I never once knew any disputes of this kind managed with tolerable temper; but on both sides they only agree as much as possible to provoke the passions of each other, indeed with this disadvantage, that he who argueth on the side of power may speak securely the utmost his malice can invent; while the other lieth every moment at the mercy of an informer; and the law, in these cases, will give no allowance at all for passion, inadvertency, or the highest provocation.