My people, My chosen

"This people have I formed for Myself: they shall shew forth My praise." -Isaiah 42:21 [KJV]

What says the world, of God’s new formed creatures? “These men turn the world upside down” (Acts 17:6.) Well, if they do, is it not right? Seeing the devil by sin turned it upside down once, Christ, by the power of His grace, turned it upside down again, then it is turned into its right state. The Lord is here about to perform a wonder of grace. He calls for our special attention to it. “Behold, I will do a new thing” (vs. 19.) He was going to take those who were not a people, to make them His people. The eminent displays of God’s grace, should be the admiration of our hearts, and the glory of our souls. 

See (1st.) the description of this people. They are compared to the beasts of the field, to dragons and owls. Yet the Lord calls them “My people, My chosen.” My soul, remember what thy nature is. As filthy as a beast, as fierce as a dragon, as stupid as an owl. Was the earth at its first creation, without form, and void of order? (Genesis 1:2.) Just so respecting spiritual things, are all the subjects on whom the Lord displays the power of His grace. View thy nature. Come down from thy altitudes. Live in the valley of humiliation. Adore the power that formed thee. Confess the hand divine. 

For, (2d.) the Lord forms such. Till this is effected, we are only formed to serve our lusts, enjoy the pleasures of sense and sin, and to be slaves of Satan. What hand have we in our spiritual formation? Just as much as the earth had, in forming itself into order and beauty out of a rude mass of chaos and confusion. Well might St. Paul say, “We are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 2:10.) Settle this well in thy mind, to quell the rising of cursed free-will pride, which robs the Lord of the glory of His efficacious grace. 

(3d.) See the end of the Lord’s work of grace upon sinners. (1st.) “Formed for Myself.” How precious is that word. Formed to come unto God, enjoy fellowship with Him, and live upon the fulness of the grace of Christ. Yea, to choose the Lord for our portion, and delight in Him as our ALL, in time and eternity. (2d.) “They shall shew forth My praise.” Lord fill our hearts with such a sense of Thy distinguishing grace to us, that Thy name may be ever praised by us. O may we ever praise Thee, with the love of our hearts, and the obedience of our lives, Who hath called us out of nature’s darkness, into the marvellous grace of Christ. 

We’re all alike destroyed by sin, 

And sunk into a hell of woe. 

But sov’reign grace renews within, 

Hence peace and love with comfort flow. 

Sing, O ye saints! this matchless grace, 

Flows from our Father’s endless love, 

Thro’ Christ, unto our ruin’d race, 

To raise our souls to joys above. 

Equal praise to Thee, O Spirit, 

Our souls are ever bound to give: 

By Thy pow’r we now inherit 

Our all in Christ and on Him live.

 

-preacher William Mason (1724-1797 A.D.)