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.
12. “No man hath seen God at any time.” See, beloved: “If we love one another, God will dwell in us, and His love will be perfected in us.”441 1 John. iv. 12. Begin to love; thou shalt be perfected. Hast thou begun to love? God has begun to dwell in thee: love Him that has begun to dwell in thee, that by more perfect indwelling He may make thee perfect. “In this we know that we dwell in Him and He in us, because He hath given us of His Spirit.”442 1 John iv. 13. It is well: thanks be to God! We come to know that He dwelleth in us. And whence come we to know this very thing, to wit, that we do know that He dwelleth in us? Because John himself has said this: “Because He hath given us of His Spirit.” Whence know we that He hath given us of His Spirit? This very thing, that He hath given thee of His Spirit, whence comest thou to know it? Ask thine own bowels: if they are full of charity, thou hast the Spirit of God. Whence know we that by this thou knowest that the Spirit of God dwelleth in thee? “Because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit which is given unto us.”443 Rom. v. 5.
12. Deum nemo vidit unquam. Videte, dilectissimi: Si diligamus invicem, Deus in nobis manebit, et dilectio ejus erit perfecta in nobis. Incipe diligere, perficieris. Coepisti diligere? coepit in te Deus habitare; ama eum qui in te coepit habitare, ut perfectius inhabitando faciat te perfectum. In hoc cognoscimus quia in ipso manemus, et ipse in nobis, quia de Spiritu suo dedit nobis. Bene, Deo gratias. Cognoscimus quia habitat in nobis. Et hoc ipsum unde cognoscimus, quia cognovimus quia habitat in nobis? Quia hoc ipse Joannes dixit: Quia de Spiritu suo dedit nobis. Unde scimus quia de Spiritu suo dedit nobis? Hoc ipsum, quia de Spiritu suo dedit tibi, unde cognoscis? Interroga viscera tua: si plena sunt charitate, habes Spiritum Dei. Unde cognoscimus quia inde cognoscis habitare in te Spiritum Dei? Paulum interroga apostolum: Quoniam charitas Dei diffusa est in cordibus nostris per Spiritum sanctum qui datus est nobis (Rom. V, 5).