The New Hampshire Gazette

Advice to a young man.

I PRESUME you desire to be happy here and hereafter; you know there are a thousand difficulties which attend this pursuit: some of them perhaps you foresee, but there are multitudes which you could never think of. Never trust therefore to your own understanding in the things of this world, where you can have the advice of a wise and faithful friend; nor dare venture the more important concerns of your soul, and your eternal interests in the world to come, upon the mere light of nature, and the dictates of your own reason; since the word of God and the advice of Heaven, lie in your hands. Vain and thoughtless indeed are those children of pride, who choose to turn heathens in America.--who live upon the mere religion of nature and their own stock, when they have been trained up among all the superior advantages of christianity, and the blessings of divine revelation and grace! Whatever your circumstances may be in this world, still value your bible as your best treasure; and whatsoever be your employment here, look upon religion as your best business. Your bible contains eternal life in it, and all the riches of the upper world; and religion is the only way to become the possessor of them.