18. What, then, some one will say, does the Deity not hear? does He not speak? does He not see what is put before Him? has He not sight? He may in His own, but not in our way. But in so great a matter we cannot know the truth at all, or reach it by speculations; for these are, it is clear, in our case, baseless, deceitful, and like vain dreams. For if we said that He sees in the same way as ourselves, it follows that it should be understood that He has eyelids placed as coverings on the pupils of the eyes, that He closes them, winks, sees by rays or images, or, as is the case in all eyes, can see nothing at all without the presence of other light. So we must in like manner say of hearing, and form of speech, and utterance of words. If He hears by means of ears, these, too, we must say, He has, penetrated by winding paths, through which the sound may steal, bearing the meaning of the discourse; or if His words are poured forth from a mouth, that He has lips and teeth, by the contact and various movement of which His tongue utters sounds distinctly.

0961B XVIII. Quid ergo, inquiet aliquis, non audit Deus? non loquitur? non ante se positas res videt? non intuetur? Suo forsitan genere, non nostro. Neque enim veri aliquid scire tanta in re possumus, aut suspicionibus indagare: quas esse apud nos liquet instabiles, lubricas, et vanorum similitudines somniorum. Si enim dixerimus iisdem rationibus videre, quibus et nos videmus: sequitur ut intelligi debeat superjectas pupilis eum habere membranulas, connivere, nictare, radiis, aut imaginibus cernere, aut quod oculis commune est omnibus, sine alterius luminis commixtione nihil omnino conspicere. Quod ipsum similiter de auditu, ac de eloquii forma, et verborum prolatione dicendum est. Si per aures audiat, eas 0961C quoque habere flexuosis tramitibus perforatas, qua 0962A irrepere vox possit sensum nunciatura sermonis: aut si verba ore funduntur, labia habere cum dentibus, quorum inflictu et mobilitate multijuga lingua sonos articulet, et vocem in verba conformet.