Tractates on the Gospel of John
180 ST. AUGUSTINE many are born and no one is amazed. If we were to reflect more wisely, it is a greater miracle that one who was not is, than that he who was comes back to life.
(3) And yet the same God, the Father of our Lord, Jesus Christ, does all these things through his Word; and he who created them governs them. He did the earlier miracles through his Word, God, with himself; he did the later miracles through the very same one, his Word made flesh and become man for our sake. Just as we are astonished at what was done by the man Jesus, let us be astonished at what was done by the God Jesus.
(4) By the God Jesus were made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all the adornment of the heavens, the richness of the earth, the fertility of the sea; all these things which are present to the eyes were made by Jesus God. And we see these things and, if his Spirit is in us, they please us in such a way that the maker is praised, but not so that in turning to the works we turn away from the maker, nor, so to speak, by facing the things he made, do we turn our backs to him who made them.
2. And, indeed, we do see these things and they are present to our eyes. What about those things which we do not see, such as the Angels, the Virtues, the Powers, the Dominions, and every celestial inhabitant of this creation who is not present to our eyes? Often, though, angels too, when it was necessary, have shown themselves to men. And has not God, through his Word, that is, his only Son, our Lord, Jesus Christ, made all these things?
(2) What about the human soul itself, which is not seen and which shows itself in the flesh by its works and offers great wonderment to those who reflect well, by whom was it made except by God? And through whom was it made except through the Son of God? I do not yet speak about a man's soul. [See] how the soul of any beast governs its bulk! It makes use of all the senses, the eyes for seeing, the ears for hearing, the nostrils for perceiving odor, the judgment of the mouth for discriminating flavors, and, in a word, the limbs themselves for performing their duties. Does the body, and not the soul,