But to follow him farther: “St. _Paul_, saith he, observes that Jesus Christ was sent to shew light to the people, that is, to the _Jews_ and to the _Gentiles_. It is plain from hence, that he was a light to the first, in the same sense, in which he was a light to the last; and therefore as he was a light to the Gentiles, by revealing the mystery of redemption, in a restoration to life and immortality, to them _absolutely unknown_, it seems to follow, that he also enlightened the _Jews_, by the manifestation of a truth _equally unknown_. Agreeably to this account of things, _Zacharias_, in his prophecy upon the birth of _John_ Baptist, says, _The day-spring from on high hath visited us, to give light to them that sit in darkness, and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace_. A description, which will by no means permit us to suppose, that they were enlightened with a good proof of a future state. If they had been enlightened with such a proof, they would have been in the region of life and immortality, and not in the verge and shadow of death. They would not have been sitting in darkness, but walking in the light, if they actually saw the grand object in question: how consistent it is, to assign a good view of an object, to a people sitting in darkness, must be left to the judgment of others. However, this seems to be the necessary consequence of affirming, that the _Jews_ had a good proof of a future life.” This is the glaring contradiction, which he is continually charging upon your Lordship throughout his whole book. Again, he attacks your Lordship thus, from your own words: “St. _Peter_, says his Lordship, tells all Christians, that they are called out of darkness into a marvellous light. Ask the evangelists, they will tell you, _The day-spring from on high hath visited us, to give light to them that sit in darkness, and in the shadow of death_. Ask any, or all the apostles, and they will tell you, their commission is, to open the eyes of the people, _and turn them from darkness unto light_. But how could the _Jewish_ people have a _good view and prospect_ of life, and immortality, if their eyes were not opened? How could they be called out of darkness, if their situation presented them with a good view of an object, which they were now first invited to behold? And how could they sit in the shadow of death, if they had been favoured with a good proof of a future state? “It would be ridiculous to say, that they sat in darkness, or that they had not their eyes, merely, because they did not see the object in its full proportion, or extent, or had not an exact view of every minute part, and the opportunity of surveying it quite round. The sitting in darkness and the shadow of death, evidently implies a total want of light, by which the people thus circumstanced, were to be enlightened; it being impossible to express the most entire ignorance in more emphatic terms.”¹ ¹ Pages 4, 5, 6, &c.