The ORDINARY of NEWGATE his Account of the Behaviour, Confession, and Dying-Words of John Shears< no role > , a Seaman , that was Executed at Tyburn, on Friday, May the 16th. 1701.

ON Saturday the 3d Instant , the above-named John Shears< no role > (with another hereafter mention'd) received Sentence of Condemnation.

On the Day following, viz. the Lord's Day, being the 4th, I preach'd to them and other the Prisoners, that were brought up to the Chappel, both Morning and Afternoon; and my Text was Deut. 32. 29. O that they were wise, that they understood this; That they would consider their latter end.

From which Words I shewed my Auditory, on the one Hand, the madness and folly of those who did not, and on the other Hand, their great wisdom and prudence, who did seriously consider their last end, namely the Judgment to which they must all of them be brought, that will determine their future State, either of Endless Miseries or Eternal Bliss. Which having represented to them, and enlarged thereupon, I then proceeded to lay before them these three Considerations, viz.

1st - That though Men should live to the utmost Extent of their Days, and should not be cut off by any accidental stroke; yet they could not reasonably reckon upon their living here in this World, above the Term generally allotted them, to wit, Three or Four Score Years; which is but a very short time, if compar'd with that Eternity that is next to follow.

2dly - That they should frequently number their Days, and take notice how they run a-pace. How their Lives waste, and their precious Moments hasten away, and themselves draw nearer and nearer their latter End; their Eternal and unalterable State.

3dly and lastly, - That when Men's Days are near an end; when the Glass of their Lives is e'en run-out, and Death is within Sight; making its close approaches to them: Then indeed it more especially concerns them to apply themselves to a most serious Consideration and Contemplation of Death, and to a due and happy Preparation for it.

Upon the first Two of these Heads, I discoursed in the Morning, and on the Third in the Afternoon; concluding (at both times) with such Exhortations to Repentance, as I thought most proper for the Condemn'd Persons: Whom I continued to see and admonish twice every Day following; except Thursday and Friday the 8th and 9th instant, when the Officers of Newgate (as well as my self) were attending the High Court of Admiralty, at their Sessions then held at Justice-hall in the Old Baily. But,

On Saturday the 10th I did again give my usual attendance upon the Condemn'd Prisoners. And

On the Lord's Day the 11th, preach'd to them again; and took for my Text these Words of our Blessed Saviour, Mat. 25. 46. And these shall go away into Everlasting Punishment; but the Righteous into Life Eternal.

From which Words I shew'd them the two vastly different States of the other World: Whereof one is Everlasting Punishment: The other, Life Eternal. And I shew'd them also, who they were that should respectively partake of them; namely, the Wicked of the former, to wit, Everlasting Punishment; and the Righteous, of the latter, viz. Eternal Life. And of this I treated under these three following Heads.

1st, - I shew'd the Nature of the Punishment spoken of in the Text, which obstinate and impenitent Sinners shall receive after this Life.

2dly, - What is meant by that Eternal Life, which is here promised to the Righteous, that is, such as love and fear God, and are from their Hearts displeased with their Sins; with their having, at any time, transgressed the Divine Laws.

Thus far I proceeded in the Morning; when the time not permitting me to enter upon the Third and last Thing propos'd; I referred it to the Afternoon; which was to shew;

3dly and lastly, The certainty and Eternal Duration of what shall be the respective Portion of both these; namely the Wicked, that is, the impenitent and harden'd Sinners: And the Righteous, viz. such as by true Repentance and Amendment, are (through Mercy) in titled to the Righteousness of Christ.

To this I spoke under these two distinct Particulars; shewing, the Certainty and Eternal Duration of that State;

1st. Of Misery;

2dly, Of Happiness;

which shall be allotted to Men, as they shall be found to have lived in this World; that is, as they shall have done, viz.

Either Good;

Or Evil.

Thus having Discoursed to them, I closed both my Morning and Evening Exercises with practical Observations and Admonitions; and particularly directed my self to those Persons (being then 11 in Number) under Sentence of Death, and shewed them the necessity of, and gave them some Rules and Directions for Self-Examination, in order to their having an abhorernce of themselves, and of their sinful Lives past, and being (through the Divine Grace) wrought into a true and sincere Repentance.

On Monday the 12th, and the following Days, to this Friday, I pressing this Work of Repentance upon all those Persons so nearly concern'd to make their Peace with God; found them (as far as I could judg) to be, all of 'em, very sensible of their Condition, and desirous of God's Mercy, and particularly John Shears< no role > ; who made this free and ingenuous Confession, as follows.

This John Shears< no role > told me he was about 23 Years of Age; and indeed he did not seem to be much older. He said he was a Seaman by his Profession; and had served his present Majesty (whom God ever preserve) in several of his Ships of War; namely the Monmouth, under the Command, first of Captain Robinson, and afterwards of Capt. Piggot: In which Ship he said he served about two Years in the Channel and Bay of Biscay . And this was about Nine Years ago. Then he served in the Devonshire, Capt. Houghton Commander, 3 or 4 Months in the same Station, namely, the Channel and Bay of Biscay; and here he was taken by the French, and by them kept Prisoner for a certain space of time (which I have now forgot) at a place called Donnom in Britany . From whence returning into England, he was taken again into the King's Service for 27 Months, on Board the Lancaster, under the Command of the said Capt. Robinson, in the Streights. Whence he returned home, about 15 Months since, in the Squadron Commanded by Admiral Rook; and when arrived here in England, he was turned into another Ship of his Majesty's, out of which not long after he run away; and then became (as he freely confess'd) very disorderly. He acknowledged he had been a very grievous Sinner; that he had broken and profaned the Lord's Sabbaths; That he had wholly neglected the Service of God, and never before now considered either of his Mercies or Judgments; and had never taken notice of his great and marvellous Works. He with tears confessed that he had been guilty of most Sins; the thoughts of which were now