the dismal Circumstances they were under, exhorting them to Faith and Repentance, and shewing them what those Graces were, and how they might and ought to be exerted by them, while they were here in this World, in order to their obtaining the Pardon of their Sins, and attaining to the Fruition of their Faith, even the Salvation of their Souls, in the World to come.

And as in my Publick, so in my Private Exhortations I was very earnest in pressing upon their Minds the Necessity of Faith, without which it is impossible to please God, as the Apostle averrs, Heb. 11. 6. and of Repentance, without which No Pardon of Sins, and consequently No Salvation of Soul, can be hoped for.

They seem'd to be attentive to what I deliver'd to them upon these Topicks; and he that is now order'd for Execution (whom I particularly endeavour'd to make sensible of the Heinousness of the Crime of Murder) gave me the Account of his past Life and present Disposition, as follows.

Thomas Douglas< no role > , Condemn'd for the Murder by him committed on the Person of William Sparks< no role > , by stabbing him with a Knife, on the 29th of September last . He said, that he was 33 Years of age, born at Dunston , about 12 miles from Berwick upon Tweed ; That he was brought up to the Sea from his Youth, had been an able Seaman for these Twelve Years past, and serv'd on board the Shrewsbury, the St. George, the Bedford, and several other Men of War, and sometimes in Merchant-Ships. He would not own himself otherwise Guilty of this this Murder, than say, " That being much in Drink, he might have " done it, not knowing then what he did; for he entirely lov'd the " Man, and had no manner or matter of Grudge against him; and " their meeting together at that time was friendly, as being to take " their Leave of each other in a loving Cup, wherein they happening to exceed the Rules of Sobriety, were both of them so " very much discompos'd with Drinking, that they knew not well " what they did.

Upon which I told him, " That I suppos'd such Excessive Drinking made him so rash and inconsiderate, as to hurry him into the " commission of that horrid Fact, which, and many other Wicked " Actions, too often proue the sad Consequents of Insobriety: Yet I " could not but think that he must needs have harbour'd Malice " and Hatred in his Heart against that poor Man, whom he thus " basely stabb'd, for else he would not have done it, tho' in Drink: " And what confirm'd me in this Opinion, was, the Deposition of " Two Witnesses, who at his Tryal swore, That they heard the Deceased say, a little before he dy'd, that he (the Prisoner) kill'd him upon " an old Grudge. And further it was then depos'd by one of them, That