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.
Ver. 10. Which in time past were not] If Plato thought it such a mercy to him that he was a man and not a woman, a Grecian and not a barbarian, a scholar to Socrates and not to any other philosopher, what exceeding great cause have we to praise God that we are born Christians, not Pagans, Protestants, not Papists, in these blessed days of reformation, &c.