Miscellanies 6.18.166

Then will not the one who cannot speak the truth about himself be even less to be believed about God? For as far as man falls short of the power of God, so far his speech too is weak, even if he speaks not of God himself but about God and the divine Word. For human speech is by nature weak and unable to express God—I do not mean his name (for naming it is common not only to philosophers but also to poets), nor his essence (for that is impossible), but the power and the works of God. And yet those who claim God as their teacher scarcely come to a conception of God, grace assisting them to some measure of knowledge, as they accustom themselves to contemplate will by will and the Holy Spirit by the Holy Spirit; for “the Spirit searches the depths of God, but the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit.” Only our wisdom, then, is taught by God, and on it all the springs of wisdom depend, as many as aim at the truth. Indeed, when the Lord who was to teach us was coming to men, there were countless heralds, proclaimers, preparers, and forerunners from above, from the foundation of the world, announcing beforehand through works and words, prophesying that he would come, and where, and how, and what the signs would be.