1 Kings 19:18

" Yet have I left me seven thousand ." There is always a remnant ( Romans 11:4 , Romans 11:5 ). The gates of hell cannot prevail against the Church. God has His secret ones, unknown to men. The number of the elect must be accomplished. ( Revelation 7:4 ). The prophets have been too much given to pessimist views. "God's faithful ones are often his hidden ones" ( Psalms 83:8 ).

"Yet in fall'n Israel are there hearts and eyes,

That day by day in prayer like thine arise,

Thou know'st them not, but their Creator knows."

Archbishop Ussher used to say to say that in the great Assize, if the King should set him on His right hand, three things would surprise him. First, to find himself there; secondly, to find that numbers of whose salvation he had always been confident were not there; thirdly, to find that thousands of whose salvation he had always despaired were there after all.