Heraclitus Christianus, or, The man of sorrow being a reflection on all states and conditions of human life : in three books.

TO THE READER.

FOR an Author to court the Reader by an Epistle into good humour, is as customary, and every whit as essential a con∣comitant of writing, as sha∣dows to Bodies, or Envy to Virtue. For I am not insen∣sible, that by the exposing of this Book, I shall expose my¦self too, to the censure of those who take measure of every thing by their petu∣lant humours, and have no o∣ther way to set off their own

barren inventions, but by per∣petual invectives against the multitude of Books which ap∣pear every day in the world; whereas indeed the mischiefs which they complain of, have proceeded not from their num∣ber, but quality.

For should every man write an exact Narrative of the va∣rious experiences and circum∣stances of his Life, compre∣hending as well his Vices as Vertues, and them with sim∣plicity related, how useful would this prove to the Pub∣lick, though it would much encrease the number? But this so impartial an account may rather be wished for, than ex∣pected;

since men have ever preferred, their own private Reputation before the real good of themselves and o∣thers.

The Book here offered to perusal, though it be none of those before-named in par∣ticular, yet is it a true Repre∣sentation of Man in Gene∣ral; and having found no less Profit than Pleasure in the Reading of it my self, I could not be detained by a thousand imperfections which I am sensi∣ble it labours under (as well in words as matter) from offer∣ing it to those who are will∣ing to make the improvement which might be made, by a Prospect of Humane Misery.