Faith waits the Lord’s coming. Faith endures, as seeing the invisible. Faith runs with patience, all the while looking unto Jesus. Faith walks with God. Faith climbs the mountain with Abraham, trusting in Him, who is able also to raise the dead. Faith suffers affliction with the people of God, counting the treasures of Egypt worthless, in comparison of the land of Canaan. Had Moses respect to a recompense in the Canaan of this world, he failed of his reward; but by faith he saw the better country, long before his eye beheld from Pisgah the whole valley of Jordan and the hill of Zion. Faith subdues kingdoms; faith obtains promises; faith works wonders, stops the mouth of lions, and triumphantly bears torture unto death, not accepting deliverance, which a retracting word might secure, being sustained by the hope of a better resurrection. Faith is the eye of the gospel, which looks above this world, and beyond its millenniums. Faith quenches the fiery darts of the Adversary.HDM 49.3

But of what possible use can faith be to a man in the millennium? He will have no enemies there. Lions, serpents, fiends, evil men, nor mischievous boys, are to be there. As well might one come in armor of mail to a social tea-party, as to think of carrying about with him the shield of faith in the millennium; for no fiery darts come there; nor war, nor strife, nor any harmful thing can by the law of the kingdom find entrance there; and to go armed in such a state would be the most ridiculous folly. We have seen some notable examples of the anticipated millennium in the blood: men having both a foretaste, they suppose, of its peace, love, and joy; and also of its perfect liberty, and reign of righteousness in the flesh. The holy law being inscribed on their heart, they need not tax their eyes to study it. Having their conversation in heaven, from whence they do not look for the Lord Jesus this thousand years yet, they are quite independent of the ordinary means of grace. Preaching and praying and songs of praise are unprofitable to them; and with faith they have necessarily done, seeing they are absolutely translated into the kingdom of the Son of God. Ah! how deceived are these wretched men, who suppose they anticipate in their own persons and blood that degree of perfection, which the whole race of Adam is soon to recover in the millennium; a perfection of which they are the first fruits, the first ripe handfuls of the great harvest of a thousand years!HDM 50.1

This comes of spiritualizing the word, which word is both spirit and truth, and the farther from the letter the worse the explanation. The word promises salvation, deliverance from evil, and a rescue from sin; but this promise is addressed to our faith; and by faith we stand. The moment man thinks to have the substance in the flesh, faith fails, and man falls. The word requires perfection in love and obedience; and man should strive for it with faith that he will attain it; but the moment he thinks in his heart, “I have attained,” faith fails, and its fruit perishes. The fancied perfection swells and rises with a natural leaven, that if not checked inevitably sours the lump, and the mass returns to corruption.HDM 50.2

Many sound and holy minds are at this day tossed on the billow of doubt between faith and perfection, seeing the latter is promised, and to reach it, the former must be let go of. The word of promise is sure: they are perfectly right in that; but the time of redemption is not in this world, not with standing the doctrine of the millenists teaches so. The time of redemption is the resurrection of the body, and perfection then safely takes the place of faith. Be holy, be perfect; and that you may be, trust in him who will raise the dead in triumph over death, as well as sin.HDM 51.1

THE ANALOGY OF FAITH

A CONTRAST