But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light: (10) Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.
What a blessed and honorable testimony hath God the Holy Ghost here given of the Lord's people. A chosen generation! Yes! chosen in Christ, before the world began, Ephesians 1:4. Chosen for Christ to be his companion, spouse, and people, on whom he might make his love to shine forever; in giving all that is communicable from himself here in grace, and hereafter in glory. A royal priesthood. Yea, both kings and priests to God and his Father, Revelation 1:6. Truly ordained by the unction of the Spirit at regeneration. And truly offering up their daily offerings in Christ, through the blood of sprinkling, which gives a blessedness and a savor to their persons and services, being accepted in the Beloved, Ephesians 1:6. An holy nation. So God called his Church, when he first formed his people into a Church in the Wilderness, and when he declared that they should be to him a peculiar treasure, unto him above all people, Exodus 19:5-6. And, although they are scattered, and live as the remnant of Jacob was said to be, in the midst of many people, while unconnected with any: Micah 5:7. Yet, altogether they form a numerous body, and are holy in the Lord, Leviticus 11:44; John 17:19. A peculiar people. Peculiar indeed! Their habits, manners, customs, pursuits, desires, differ wholly from all others, through the grace given them. They are as Joshua and his fellows, men wondered at, Zechariah 3:8. And how should it be otherwise, being called upon by the predestinating love of God the Father, to dwell alone in his purpose, choice, and will, peculiarly chosen to an union with Christ; and specially the objects of the regenerating grace of God the Holy Ghost! And the effects which follow cannot but be the result of such a cause. He that called them from the darkness of the Adam-nature of sin, in that call brought them into the fellowship of Christ, who is himself their light and their life. And, as, while in a state of unregeneracy they were altogether unconscious of the electing love of God the Father, and the union-love, and redemption-love of Jesus Christ, and therefore in this sense might be truly said to be far off as those which had no head, and were not formed into a people; but now, by the renewing of the Holy Ghost, shed upon them abundantly through Jesus Christ, they were brought nigh, and made heirs according to the hope of eternal life, Titus 3:4-7.