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COnsider 1. Almighty God hath provided his Church with holy Doctors, whom he hath en••owed with all manner of Wisdom and Know∣ledge, Humane and Divine; and this they obtain∣ed, not so much by their own sedulous study and labour, as 1. By continual Prayer, wherewith they
humbly begged it of God the Author of all Sci∣ence and Wisdom. 2. By Purity of Life, whereby they became pure Glasses and Myrrours fit to re∣ceive the Rays of Divine Light. 3. By Humility, whereby they submitted both to one another, and to the Sense and Definitions of the Church. If you desire to partake of their Knowledge and Wis∣dom, make use of the same means.
Consider 2. Their Study was not meerly to know, which is but an idle Curiosity, nor to be known, which is Vanity, nor to get, which is base Lucre: But 1. To further their own Salvation. 2. For the good of their Neighbour. 3. For the propagation of the holy Faith, defence of the Church, and glory of God. Examine what your labours tend to, Curiosity, Vanity, or the Glory of God: See that you imploy your Learning, and o∣thers Talents, not in devising, or upholding new∣fangled Doctrines, but in zealously maintaining the known, received, and approved Tenets of the Church.
Consider 3. The admirable fruits of their la∣bours. 1. They have illustrated the whole Church with their holy Sermons, and Writings. 2. They have opened the sense of Holy Scriptures, declared the Mysteries of our Faith, maintained and pro∣pagated Truth and Religion. 3. They have expel∣led Ignorance, corrected Errours, vanquished Infide∣lity, Heresie and Vice, bringing Infidels to the Faith, Hereticks to the Church, Sinners to Repentance. 4. They have wonderfully promoted Piety through∣out the whole Christian world, by their zealous Preaching, by their admirable Documents in all manner of Virtue, and by the exemplar Sanctity of their Life and Conversation: So that the Holy Church doth deservedly apply to them what our Sa∣viour said to his Apostles, You are the Salt of the
Earth, &c. You are the Light of the World, &c.* 1.1 See how the properties of each do agree with them; consider withall, their special reward in Heaven a∣bove other Saints: They that be learned (in the Law of God) shall shine as the brightness of the Fir∣mament; and they that instruct many to Justice,* 1.2 as Stars unto perpetual Eternities.
Mat. 5.13. & 15.
D••n. 12.3.