The first part of youths errors. Written by Thomas Bushel, the superlatiue prodigall

To my vnmarried Christian Brethren.

BEst beloued Sirs, if you be not so fortunate as to performe your chaste sin∣gle liues, according to the Apo∣stles words, which placeth your selues next vnto God, but must of necessitie haue the vnion of se∣cond helpers. Let mee, your wel-wishing Brother, aduise each of you to entertaine diuine religious thoughts in the daily contemplati∣on of your choice, before you at∣tempt so weightie, and great a

charge, which will be demanded at your hands, otherwise it may seeme a hard and ouer-strict capti∣uitie in being bound and thrall with the cares and humors of an∣other: for if it should fall out that any of you doe meete with more bone then flesh, more flesh then spirit, your liues will alwayes bee most miserable and wretched, as by woefull experience diuers of your predecessours can informe you; that for one houre of their folly, being a fault committed without malice, and by meere o∣uer-sight; yea many times to obey the aduice of Parents, they brough•• themselues into a perpetuall bon∣dage: Which accustomed misery (deare Brethren) proceeds from

a fraile imbecillitie of nature, and want of spirituall discipline; they hauing not grounded themselues vpon the fundamentall points of marriage. For beleeue me (gentle Sirs) if that your chiefest and only end bee not to auoid fornication, and a desire of procreation to glo∣rifie God by a mutuall societie, your Nuptialls were neuer solem∣niz'd by him, nor allowed by his lawes. For it were impossible, if God had a hand in the coniuncti∣on, that euer there should pro∣ceed either iealousie, malice, rage, or any other miserable condition. But it may be, some will reply, that the Scripture confirmes all marri∣ages are made in heauen: So li••••∣wise you know Christ died for all

sinners, yet few are the number that shall be saued, by reason the one wants, either beliefe, a good life, or true repentance, and the other omits performance accor∣ding to the first institution, which makes both dangerous, fearefull, and infortunate, for that humane creature rather [ 1] depends vpon the weakenesse of his owne strength, [ 2] then Gods promises; the allure∣ments of Satan, then the blessings of our Sauiour. O then, my vnited brethren, let neither beauty allure, honor tempt, lust prouoke, wealth encourage, nor parents compell, for they are all both imperfect and fatall, without you sweetly ••••uper them, by reducing their extreamities into the chastitie of

vertue. Likewise, deare Brethren, there is another charge impos'd, greater then the former; whereof you must haue an especiall care to edifie your wife, children, and fa∣mily in the commands and seruice of God. For if any of them perish by your neglect, the soule of you must bee sure to answere for it, which grieues my very heart to behold so many of our predeces∣sors runne the hazard of eternall perdition, by this one transgres∣sion in parents. For most com∣monly they neuer thinke so much of the mutuall loue in glorifying God, as the reuenue of wordly profit, and temporall honor. Nay, I haue knowne some parents will marry the wise to the foole, which

makes themselues prooue tyrants to the of-springs of their loynes, for a little wealth to binde the li∣uing to the dead; but assuredly, howsoeuer it is carried in the sight of men, they are accursed before God, and those infortunate that must suffer the bondage, who at last will cry out vengeance on the parents that begot them: [ 1] which is the greater crueltie, but iustly re∣warded. [ 2] Wherfore (beloued Sirs) if I were worthy to aduise, there should none follow the parents humours, yet please both parties according to the lawes of God, which not any is to obey further. Let then your selues but mitigate your fond and childish affection; your parents suspend their rash

couetous dispositions, vntill yeres and experience haue indued you with reason and religion to appre∣hend your fathers counsell with∣out repentance. By this meanes the iniquitie of your fathers will not light vpon your selues, nor yours vpon your fathers, but each of you shall receiue ioy, the other comfort, all pleas'd, and God glo∣rified.

Notes

• 1 Cor. 7.••.
• 1 Cor. 7.28.
• 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 20.16
• 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 5.13
• Ezek. 1 20.