Majma al-Zawaid 16383 — Reports on the Companions of the Prophet ﷺ

Sayyiduna Jabir bin Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Indeed, Allah Almighty chose my Companions over all the worlds, except the prophets and messengers, and from among my Companions He chose four for me (perhaps the narrator said:) that is, Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him), Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him), Sayyiduna Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him) and Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him). (The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:) So Allah Almighty made them my companions. Then the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: In all my Companions there is good. And Allah Almighty chose my ummah over all other nations, and from my ummah He chose four centuries (or four generations): the first generation, the second, the third and the fourth (generation)."
Imam al-Bazzar recorded it, and its narrators are thiqat (trustworthy), though there is disagreement about some of its narrators.