Prologue

The miracles of God cannot be scrutinized by man, as we read in Job 37:5: who works great wonders and things that cannot be scrutinized. (Also, Job 5:9.) Some of the miracles God performs in his saints. Augustine teaches this, saying that justifying man is more than creating, (Augustine, Tractates on the Gospel of John, tract. 72, para. 3 (CCSL 36:508; PL 35:1823); cf. Aquinas, Catena Aurea on John, at 14:12, ch. 14, lect. 4; ST I-II.113.9, resp.; III.43.4, ad 2. It is even more than creating another world: ST I.25.3, obj. 3; On Truth, q. 27, a. 3, s.c. 4.) because creation passes whereas justification remains (cf. Matt 24:35). Thus God is wondrous in his saints (Ps 68:36). We cannot scrutinize these wonders of God in his saints, unless he who is the scrutinizer of hearts and reins (cf. Ps 7:10) teaches us. (Because it is through grace; cf. ST III.2.10; Jeremiah 17:10; Revelation 2:23.) Therefore, let us take refuge with him in prayer and ask him at the beginning that he may give me something to say, et cetera.