Says Walter Hilton: "The soul needeth to be ever striving and fighting against the wicked striving of this image of sin, and that he make no accord with them, nor have friendship with them to be pliable to their unlawful biddings, for in so doing he beguileth himself. But verily if he strive with them, he need not be much afraid of consenting, for striving breaketh peace and false accord."[19] {161} IV. _Spiritual Safety, Spiritual Victory_ The reader will observe that although we are speaking of the soul being kept from the power of Satan, yet the heading of the foregoing section speaks of the signs, not of the soul's _safety_, but of the soul's _victory_. There is a significance in this choice of words, for in the spiritual combat the soul that is safe is indeed victorious. Herein lies one of the radical differences between the spiritual warfare and any other. In the world's wars an army may be safe from defeat and capture, and yet be far from victorious. But in the spiritual life, to be safe is to be the victor. There are no drawn battles in this warfare. Once the soul has been enlisted in God's army, once it has been signed, and sealed, and has put on the whole armour of God, thenceforth to be safe is to be victorious, not to be conquered is to conquer Satan. So we may seem to be making but little progress, but if we hold fast that which we have no man can take our crown. This is made quite clear to us in the message of the Spirit to the Seven Churches of Asia.[20] The Church at that time was hard-pressed. The fires of persecution were burning out the dross, and purifying her over against the coming {162} of the Lord. It was a time for longsuffering, for patient waiting until the arm of the Lord should be bared to avenge her of her adversaries. So the Spirit speaks not of Pentecostal achievements; there is no mention of mighty triumphs that the world could see and applaud. It was a patient waiting, finding her strength in sitting still.[21]