The same place. — 'Who doeth great things and unsearchable.' 43. God works wondrous and stupendous things in the conversion of a sinner. — For that a man, given over to earthly uses, pressed down by wicked desires, should suddenly grow fervent toward new things and cold toward accustomed things, renounce outward cares, and pant after inward contemplations — who suffices to consider this power of the supernal voice? Who, in considering, may comprehend it? Great are the things which the Lord does through his voice, but they would be less great if they could be thoroughly searched out. He does therefore great things and unsearchable, because he shows outwardly the perfection of the work, but the very quality of the operation lies hidden within.
With his voice he also sounds forth outwardly through the apostles, but he illumines the hearts of the hearers inwardly through himself — Paul bearing witness who says: 'I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. So then neither is he that planteth anything, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase' (1 Corinthians 3:6-7). Although, therefore, they do not themselves afford to our minds the hearing of the supernal voice, yet they are sent, that at least by these outward things they may condescend to us. Whence it is aptly subjoined: