Hearing the Word, and not meditating thereon, dangerous. [ 743]
IF a man have the Lienteria, a disease so called, so that his meat passeth from him,* 1.1 as he took it in; or he vomit it up as fast as he eats it, what strength and vigour of body, and senses is this man like to have? Indeed, he may well eat more than a sounder man, and the small abode that it makes in the stomack, may re∣fresh it at the present, and may help to draw out a lingring, languishing, un∣comfortable life. Thus many hearers there are, that are sick of this disease; what they hear, is many times in at one ear, out at the other; perhaps they hear more than otherwise they needed, and the clear discovery, and lively delivering of the truth of God, may warm and refresh them a little, whilst they are hearing, and perhaps an hour or two after; and it may be, may linger out their grace, in a languishing uncomfortable life: But if they did hear one hour, and meditate seven; if they did as constantly ruminate and disgest their Sermons, as they hear them, and not take in one Sermon, before the other be well concocted, they would soon find another manner of benefit by Sermons, than the ordinary sort of many forward Chri∣stians do.