A WATCH For a Wise Man's OBSERVATION.  

 depiction of the moving parts of a clock  

I.  
ONe God there is, of Wisdom, Glory, Might,  
One F●i●h there is, to guide our Souls aright,  
One truth there is, that Errors doth descry,  
One Baptism, for to know all Christian by.   

II.  
Two Testaments there are, the Old and New,  
Wherein the Law and Gospel thou maid view,  
The one for Works and Deeds doth Precepts give,  
The other says, the Just by Faith shall live.   

III.  
Three Persons in the Glorious Trinity,  
Make one True God in perfect Unity;  
The Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, these Three,  
For ever Equal, and Eternal be.   

iv  
Four Holy, Blessed Sanctified Men,  
(For Comfort of all Christians) that did Pen  
Our Saviour's Birth Life, Death, and his Ascending,  
Whereof our Faith must have true comprehending.   

V  
Five Senses do in every Man maintain,  
A Governing of Power, Rule, and Reign,  
Thy Hearing, Seeing, Tasting, Feeling, Smelling,  
Which all at Death will leave thee, & their dwelling.   

VI  
Sir Days thou hast to Labour in,  
(So Merciful and Good t●y God hath been)  
Of Seven, to himself he takes but one,  
Oh ●●ob him not of that, to leave him none.   

VII.  
Seven Liberal Arts, by a Divine in●●●t,  
Unto Man's Understanding Soul is tinkt;  
Rhetorich, Grammar, Music, Geometry,  
Arithmetic, Logic, and Astronomy.   

VIII.  
Eight Persons in the Ark of Righteous Noah,  
Were saved, when for Sin God did destroy  
The soul desired World; all creatures drowned,  
Which in that Ship of safety was not found.   

IX.  
Nine Muses like unto the Heavens nine Spheres,  
The Sacred Tunes entice inclining Ears:  
To elevate each sad Melancholy mind,  
And cheer the heart that's dolefully inclined.   

X.  
Ten Precepts God hath in his Law declared,  
Man breaks them all: and so unless God spared,  
And in his Mercy did our Sin remit,  
Our just reward were in th' Infernal Pit.   

XI.  
Eleven Disciples did with Jesus pray,  
When Judas did the Son of God betray:  
Through Covetousness: for greedy gain he fell,  
To be Perditions Child, condemned in Hell.   

XII.  
Twelve Tribes there were amongst our Father's old,  
Twelve Articles our Christian Faith doth hold:  
Twelve Gates in New Jerusalem there be,  
Unto which City, Christ bring thee and me.    

Where is Alexander? Where is Plato? Where is Croesus?  
Alexander 's Victories, Plato 's Wisdoms, Croesus' Wealth and Lust,  
Is all Forgot, Consumed, and come to Dust.  
The Emperor, King, Noble, Beggar, All  
Must yield to Death, and come when he doth call.  

Time brings to Death, the King, and the Beggar.   

Mortuus Est.  
O Earth of Earth, observe this well,  
When Earth in Earth shall come to dwell;  
Where Earth with Earth shall close remain,  
Till Earth from Earth do rise again:  
And Earth before his judge do come,  
For to receive a final doom:  
If Earth on Earth hath lived so,  
That Earth no fruits of Faith can show  
Then what reward shall Earth expect,  
That did on Earth his God neglect?  
O serve the Lord with might and power,  
For here thou hast no certain hour:  
Remember Man, when thou cam'st here,  
How Naked, Poor, thou didst appear;  
And how again (what e'er thou have,)  
Thou naked must return to Grave.  
Thy Wooden Chest (a narrow place)  
A Coffin-lid close up thy face:  
Thy Soul (if saved) to Heaven eyes,  
Thy body here a rotting lies:  
Forsaken of thy Friends and Kin,  
As thou on Earth hadst never been:  
When they have brought thee to the Grave,  
And yielded Earth what Earth doth crave;  
They back return from whence they came,  
Till others do the very same,  
In following them as they did thee,  
This course with all the World will be.  
And here's thy Portion and thy Lot,  
With men thou shalt be soon forget;  
And so into Oblivion pass,  
Who! such a Man sometimes he was:  
But neither Beauty, Riches, Strength,  
Can give his Life a Minute's length.  
Therefore, O Man! think on thy State,  
Before thy life be out of date;  
Unto thy God for Mercy pray,  
That at thy last and Dying-Day,  
The Glorious Angels may thee bring,  
Where Blessed Saints for ever sing.   
Amen.   
FINIS.   

Licenced, and Entered according to Order.  
London, Printed for W. Thackeray, at the sign of the Angel in Ducklane: 1677.