The Order of Understanding

Beati immaculati in via, qui ambulant in lege Domini. Beati qui scrutantur testimonia ejus, in toto corde exquirunt eum. Dictorum ordo non negligendus est: qui si non diligenter a nobis cognoscitur, ne depositae quidem beatitudinis ordinem consequimur. Non enim primum, 'Beati scrutantes testimonia Dei,' sed primum, Beati immaculati in via.' Primus enim est, confirmatis moribus et in innocentiae studium ex communi probitatis honestate compositis, viam veritatis ingredi; sequens deinde est scrutari Dei testimonia, et expurgato emundatotoque animo ad investiganda adesse. Ordinis autem hujus et alius propheta non immemor est, dicens, 'Serite in justitia vosmetipsos, et metite vos in fructu vitae, et illuminate vos in lumine scientiae.' Non illuminatio primum, sed satio nostra praecepta est: ut cum antea nosmetipsos, id est, vitae nostrae usum in spem fructuum serverimus, deinde cum quae sata sunt messuerimus, tunc nos lumine scientiae illuminemus. Tenendus igitur hic ordo est, sationis messis et illuminationis. Plures enim nostrum illuminari se prius quam serere ac metere festinant; cum satio atque messis quaedam consequendi luminis praeparatio. Sanctus Hilarius Pictaviensis,Tractatus super Psalmos, Tractatus in Psalmum CXVIII

Blessed those who are immaculate in the way and who walk in the the law of the Lord. Blessed those who study his testaments, in their whole heart they seek them out. 1 The order of the words is not to be overlooked, for if they are not diligently known by us the order of the disposition of the blessed will not follow. For it is not said first, 'Blessed those who study the testaments of God, ' but first is: 'Blessed those who walk in His way.' For first one should have strong morals and zeal for integrity established in the common probity, that one enter on the way of truth. Then follows that one may study the testament of God and with soul purged and cleansed enter on investigation of it. This order, I do not forget, is also in one of the Prophets, where he says, 'Sow in your righteousness and reap the fruit of life, and enlighten yourselves in the light of knowledge.'  2 Enlightenment is not first but planting is our precept, that when before we ourselves we watch over, that is, the actions of our lives, in hope of fruit, then what has been sown we may harvest, then we may be enlightened with the light of knowledge. Let us hold, therefore, to this order: planting, reaping and enlightenment. For many of ours hurry to be enlightened before they sow and harvest, when with planting and reaping is the preparation of the light. Saint Hilary of Poitiers, Homilies on the Psalms, Psalm 118 1 Ps 118.1 2 Hosea 10.12