Hagio-mimesis The imitation of the saints

Are there any amongst men that desire to be like others in their natural defects and deformities, be they persons never so great? Do you observe any that take delight to imitate men under distraction, or mad men? Did it ever ease any that lay sick of the Gout, Stone, Strangury, Dropsy, Fever, &c. to tell them that many Noble, Rich, learned Persons have been tormented with the like pains?

Are there any amongst men that desire to be like others in their natural defects and deformities, be they persons never so great? Do you observe any that take delight to imitate men under distraction, or mad men? Did it ever ease any that lay sick of the Gout, Stone, Strangurie, Dropsie, Fever, &c. to tell them that many Noble, Rich, learned Persons have been tormented with the like pains?

Surely,¹ you will say, no wonder if not, since these are the blemishes, infelicities and destruction of the humane nature.

1. 1Object.

And are not mens lusts and corruptions so too? ¹Even of the Saints themselves, save only by interposition of divine grace, ²healing and restoring them! Yea, and of so much worse nature and effect, then either intellectual or bodily distempers, by how much the soul is better then the body, and Hell worse then Death; ³