Observe, therefore, with what fullness the Evangelist speaks; for having said that “no man hath seen God at any time,” he does not go on to say, “that the Son who hath seen, hath declared Him,” but adds something beyond “seeing” by the words, “Who is in the bosom of the Father”; because, “to dwell in the bosom” is far more than “to see.” For he that merely “seeth” hath not an in every way exact knowledge of the object, but he that “dwelleth in the bosom” can be ignorant of nothing. Now lest when thou hearest that “none knoweth the Father, save the Son,” thou shouldest assert that although He knoweth the Father more than all, yet He knoweth not how great He is, the Evangelist says that He dwells in the bosom of the Father; and Christ Himself declares, that He knoweth Him as much as the Father knoweth the Son. Ask therefore the gainsayer, “Tell me, doth the Father know the Son?” And if he be not mad, he will certainly answer “Yes.” Then ask again; “Doth He see and know Him with exact vision and knowledge? Doth He know clearly what He Is?” He will certainly confess this also. From this next collect the exact comprehension the Son has of the Father. For He saith, “As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father” ( c. x. 15 ); and in another place, “Not that any man hath seen the Father, save He which is of God.” ( c. vi. 46.) Wherefore, as I said, the Evangelist mentions “the bosom,” to show all this to us by that one word; that great is the affinity and nearness of the Essence, that the knowledge is nowise different, that the power is equal. For the Father would not have in His bosom one of another essence, nor would He have dared, had He been one amongst many servants, to live in the bosom of his Lord, for this belongs only to a true Son, to one who has much confidence towards His Father, and who is in nothing inferior to Him.