From The Way of the Fathers - Praying with The Early Christians by Mike Aquilina:

It was impossible for man to come to know God's ways by his own efforts. But God did not leave man to err in search of the light of wisdom, wandering through inescapable darkness with nothing to show for his labor. At last He opened his eyes, and made the investigation of the truth His own gift, so that He might show the nothingness of human wisdom, and point out to man, who was wandering in error, the way of obtaining immortality.    Lactanius

Our eyes cannot frequently look upon... the sun. But when we look upon its splendor or its rays pouring in, perhaps through windows or some small openings to admit the light, we can reflect how great is the supply and source of the light of the body. In the same way, the works of divine providence and the plan of this whole world are a sort of rays, as it were, of the nature of God.     Origen

Preaching, although in itself true and most worthy of belief, is not sufficient to reach the human heart, unless a certain power be imparted to the speaker from God and a grace appear upon his words. And it is only by divine agency that this takes place in those who speak effectively.     Origen

To praise oneself is a hateful bragging. Yet it may not be bragging, but gratitude, to recall what is attributed not to the virtue of man, but to the blessing of God.    St. Cyprian of Carthage

When God crowns our merits, he is crowning nothing other than His gifts.    St Augustine