S. AURELII AUGUSTINI HIPPONENSIS EPISCOPI IN EPISTOLAM JOANNIS AD PARTHOS TRACTATUS DECEM .
TRACTATUS III. De eo quod sequitur, Pueri, novissima hora est usque ad id, Cap.
TRACTATUS IV. De eo quod sequitur, Et verax est, et non est mendax usque ad id, Cap. et cap.
TRACTATUS V. In id quod sequitur, Omnis qui natus est ex Deo, non facit peccatum usque ad id, Cap.
TRACTATUS VI. In illud, Et in hoc cognoscimus quia ex veritate sumus usque ad id, etc. Cap. et cap.
TRACTATUS VII. Ab eo quod sequitur, Jam vos ex Deo estis filioli usque ad id, Cap.
TRACTATUS VIII. De eo quod sequitur, Si diligamus invicem, Deus in nobis manebit usque ad id, Cap.
TRACTATUS IX. De eo quod sequitur, In hoc perfecta est dilectio in nobis usque ad id, Cap.
7. “And every one that hath this hope in Him.” Ye see how he hath set us our place, in “hope.” Ye see how the Apostle Paul agreeth with his fellow-apostle, “By hope we are saved. But hope that is seen, is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he hope for? For if what we see not, we hope for, by patience we wait for it.”232 Rom. viii. 24, 25. This very patience exerciseth desire. Continue thou, for He continueth: and persevere thou in walking, that thou mayest reach the goal: for that to which thou tendest will not remove. See: “And every one that hath this hope in Him, purifieth233 Castificat. himself even as He is pure.”234 Castus. See how he has not taken away free-will, in that he saith, “purifieth himself.” Who purifieth us but God? Yea, but God doth not purify thee if thou be unwilling. Therefore, in that thou joinest thy will to God, in that thou purifiest thyself. Thou purifiest thyself, not by thyself, but by Him who cometh to inhabit thee. Still, because thou doest somewhat therein by the will, therefore is somewhat attributed to thee. But it is attributed to thee only to the end thou shouldest say, as in the Psalm, “Be thou my helper, forsake me not.”235 Ps. xxvii. 11. If thou sayest, “Be thou my helper,” thou doest somewhat: for if thou be doing nothing, how should He be said to “help” thee?
7. Et omnis qui habet spem hanc in ipso. Videtis quia in spe nos posuit. Videtis quemadmodum congruit apostolus Paulus coapostolo suo, Spe salvi facti sumus. Spes autem quae videtur, non est spes: quod enim videt quis, quid sperat? Si enim quod non videmus speramus, per patientiam exspectamus (Rom. VIII, 24, 25). Ipsa patientia exercet desiderium. Mane tu, nam manet ille: et persevera in ambulando, ut pervenias; quia quo tendis, non migrabit. Videte: Et omnis qui habet spem hanc in ipso, castificat semetipsum, sicut et ipse castus est. Videte quemadmodum non abstulit liberum arbitrium, ut diceret, castificat semetipsum. Quis nos castificat nisi Deus? Sed Deus te nolentem non castificat. Ergo quod adjungis voluntatem tuam Deo, castificas teipsum. Castificas te, non de te, sed de illo qui venit ut inhabitet te. Tamen quia agis ibi aliquid voluntate, ideo et tibi aliquid tributum est. Ideo autem tibi tributum est, ut dicas sicut in Psalmo, Adjutor meus esto, ne derelinquas me (Psal. XXVI, 9). Si dicis, Adjutor meus esto, aliquid agis: nam si nihil agis, quomodo ille adjuvat?