The Fountain of Life Opened

By this means only can the true nature of Theology, together with the harmony and perfection of truth, be clearly understood. And every single truth also will be much better perceived by him that seeth its place, and order, than by any other: for one truth exceedingly illustrates, and leads in another into the understanding— Study therefore to grow in the more methodical knowledge of the same truths, which you have received; and though you are not yet ripe enough to discern the whole body of Theology in due method, yet see so ⟨image 6⟩much as you have attained to know, in the right order, and placing of every part. As in Anatomy, it's hard for the wisest Physician to discern the course of every branch of Veins, and Arteries; but yet they may easily discern the place and order of the principal parts, and greater vessels (and surely in the body of Religion there runs not a branch of greater or more necessary truth than these) so it is in Divinity, where no man hath a perfect view of the whole, till he come to the state of perfection with God; but every true Christian hath the knowledge of all the essentials, and may know the orders, and places of them all.

And as it serves to render the mind more judicious, so it causes the Memory to be more tenacious, and retentive of truths. The chain of truth is easily held in the memory, when one truth links in another, but the loosing of a link endangers the scattering of the whole chain. We use to say, order is the mother of memory:¹ I am sure it's a singular friend to it: Hence it's observed, those that write of the art of memory, lay so great a stress upon place and number. The memory would not so soon be overcharged with a multitude of truths, if that multitude were but orderly disposed. It's the incoherence, and confusion of truths, rather than their number that distracts. Let but the understanding receive them regularly, and the memory well retain them with much more facility. A bad memory is a common complaint among Christians. All the benefit that many of you have in hearing, is from the present influence of truths upon your hearts. There is but little that sticks by you, to make a second and third impression upon them. I know it may be said of some of you, that if your affections were not better than your memories, you would need a very large charity to pass for Christians. I confess it's better to have a well-ordered heart, than a methodical head, but surely both are better than either. And for you