THE Ages of Sin, or Sin's Birth & groweth. With the Steps, and Degrees of Sin, from thought to final Impenitency.  

 emblem of Suggestion  
1 Suggestion.  
Original— Concupiscence Doth make  
Our Nature like a foul great— Bellied Snake:  
For, were not Satan apt to tempt to Sin;  
Yet, Lustful— Thoughts would breed & brood, Within:  
But, happy. He, that takes These Little- Ones,  
To Dash their Brains (Soon) 'gainst repentant— Stones.   

 emblem of Rumination  
2. Rumination.  
When lust hath (thus) Conceived It brings forth Sin,  
And Ruminating-thoughts Its Shape begin.  
Like as the Bears oft-licking of her whelps,  
That foul deformed Creatures Shape much helps.  
Th● danger's great, our Sinful thoughts to Cherish,  
〈◊〉 stop thire growth, or thy poor Soul will perish.   

 emblem of Delectation  
DELECTATION. 3  
If, Sinful Thoughts (once) nestle in man's heart—,  
The Sluice is , Delight (then) plays its part:  
Then, like the old-Ape hugging in his arms,  
His Apish-young-Ones; Sin, the Soul be charms:  
And, when our Apish impious-Thoughts delight us,  
Oh, then, (alas) most mortally They by't us.   

 emblem of Consent  
CONSENT. 4  
For, where Sin works Content, Consent will follow;  
And, This, the Soul, into Sins Gulf, doth swallow.  
For, as two ravening Wolves (for, 'tis their kind)  
To suck Lambs-blood, do hunt with Equall-minde:  
Even so, the Soul & Sin Consent, in One,  
Till, Soul & Body be quite overthrown.   

 emblem of Act  
5 Act.  
Sin and the Soul (thus) having stricken Hands,  
The Sinner (now) for Action ready stands;  
And Tygerlike swallowes-up, at One-bitt,  
What ever impious Prey his Heart doth fit:  
Committing Sin, with eager greedyness,  
Selling his Soul to work All wickedness.   

 emblem of Iteration  
Iteration. 6  
From eager— Acting Sin, comes Iteration,  
Or, frequent Custom of Sins perpetration;  
Which, like great Flesh-Flies liting on raw-Flesh,  
Though oft beat-off, (if not killed) come afresh:  
Hence, Be'lzebub is termed Prince of fflesh-fflies,  
'Cause Sin, still, Acts, until (by Grace) It Dies.   

 emblem of Gloriation  
GLORIATION. 7  
Custom in Sin takes Sense of Sin away,  
This makes All-Sin seem but a Sport, a play:  
Yea, like a rampant-Lyon, proud and Stout,  
Jnsulting▪ o'er his Prey, stalking about,  
The Saucy-Sinner boasts & brags of Sinne.  
As One (oh woe) that doth a City win.   

 emblem of Obduration  
8 Obduration.  
When Sin brings Sinners to this fearful pass,  
What follows, but a hard Heart—▪ Brow of brass▪  
A Heart (I say) more hard then Tortess-back;  
Which, nether Sword nor Axe can hue or hack;  
judgements nor Mercies, Treats nor threats can cause  
To leave-off Sin. To love or fear God's Laws.   

 emblem of Impenitency  
9 FINALL-IMPENITENCY.  
And (now, alas) what is Sins last Extent?  
A hard-Heart makes a Heart Jmpenitent.  
For, can a Leopard change his Spotted Skin?  
No, Nor a Heart accustomed (thus), his Sin  
Then, Conscience, headlong, casts Jmpenitence,  
With horrid ffrights of Hellish Recompense.  ●a. v. L. fecit▪