he [Royal] Presence that this Servant hath in view
naught save peace and reform. And if some of the divine favors, which,
without merit [on My part], have been graciously bestowed [on Me], do not
become evident and apparent, this much [at least] will be known, that
[God], in [His] abounding grace and undeserved mercy, hath not deprived
this Oppressed One of the ornament of reason. The form of words which was
set forth on the meaning of 'victory' is this:

"'He is God, exalted is He. "'It hath been known that God (glorious is His
mention) is sanctified from the world and what is therein, and that the
meaning of "victory" is not this, that anyone should fight or strive with
anyone. The Lord of He doeth what He will(29) hath committed the kingdom
of creation, both land and sea, into the hand of kings, and they are the
manifestations of the Divine Power according to the degrees of their rank:
verily He is the Potent, the Sovereign. But that which God (glorious is
His mention) hath desired for Himself is the hearts of His servants, which
are treasures of praise and love of the Lord and stores of divine
knowledge and wisdom. The will of the Eternal King hath ever been to
purify the hearts of [His] servants from the promptings of the world and
what is therein, so that they may be prepared for illumination by the
effulgences of the Lord of the Names and Attributes. Therefore must no
stranger find his way into the city of the heart, so that the Incomparable
Friend may come unto His own place--that is, the effulgence of His Names
and Attributes, not His Essence (exalted is He), for that Peerless King
hath been and will be holy for everlasting above ascent or descent.
Therefore today "victory" neither hath been nor will be opposition to
anyone, nor strife with any person; but rather what is well-pleasing is
that the cities of [men's] hearts, which are under the dominion of the
hosts of selfishness and lust, should be subdued by the sword of the Word,
of Wisdom, and of Exhortation. Everyone, then, who desireth "victory" must
first subdue the city of his own heart with the sword of spiritual truth
and of the Word, and must protect it from remembering aught beside God:
afterwards let him turn his regards towards the cities of [others']
hearts. This is what is intended by "victory": sedition hath never been
nor is pleasing to God, and that which certain ignorant persons formerly
wrought was never approved. If ye be slain for His good pl