1 Kings xix. 18. Yet I have left me seveti thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him.
WE cannot always judge by outward appearances in religion. There is in some a forwardness, and display of piety ; whilst in others there is a reserve and a delicate withdrawment from public notice. Amongst the former, a very great proportion turn
out like the stony or thorny-ground hearers ; who, if they fall not altogether from their profession, never truly honour and adorn it. Where, on the contrary, there is little of outward zeal, we are ready to ima- gine that the word has produced little or no effect. In the days of the Prophet Elijah, there were none to bear him in countenance, by a bold and open testi- mony for God ; so that he conceived that he stood alone in the midst of an apostate and idolatrous people. But there were many of the class referred to, even seven thousand, who had not been carried away by the general torrent of iniquity, but had maintained in secret a faithful adherence to their God. This, in answer to Elijah's complaint, was declared by God himself: and from that declaration I shall take occasion to shew,
I. That in the worst of times, God has an elect people in the world — In support of this very position, St. Paul quotes the words before us : —
[It appeared in the Apostle's days, that God had " cast off" his ancient people entirely. But St. Paul adduces him- self as a proof to the contrary ; and then, citing the answer given by Jehovah to his complaining servant Elijah, vi^ho thought that he was the only person in Israel that had re- mained faithful to his God, " Yet have I reserved to myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal^*," or "kissed it, in token of their religious veneration''," he takes occasion to say, " Even so at this time, also, there is a remnant according to the election of grace''."]
And on these words we may ground the same ob- servation at this time —
[Through the tender mercy of God, we Hve in very different times from those of the Prophet Elijah. But the exercise of God's sovereign grace is still the same ; and every person who faithfully adheres to God, amidst the wickedness that abounds in the world, is indebted altogether to the dis- tinguishing grace of God, whose power alone has quickened and upheld him.
This is a truth which many are extremely averse to hear :
a Rom. xi. 1 — 4. b Hos. xiii. 2. "^ Rom. xi. 5.