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 sound, then new wine must be put into new bottles, and both will be preserved.

Man in the early part of his religious life, does not first come into a perception of spiritual truth, but of that which is literal: still in process of time, if he be faithful, he will see that those truths which he regarded as merely referring to other people and other times, are all applicable to himself. The truth within the letter having explored his affections and thoughts, he begins to see that the Lord is in His Word, and he knew it not,—that every truth is a revelation to his own soul; and he now begins to taste the new wine. But the man long accustomed to abide in outward knowledge, and to drink of old wine, does not straightway desire the new, for he saith "the old is better;" not that it is better, for it is not;—he saith the old is better. Spiritual truth comes too near home for the mere professor; therefore he says, "the old is better." But notwithstanding this, the spiritual truth which enters the heart and prepares for heaven, is still the best. It is as the wine the Lord miraculously produced at the marriage feast, of which the governor said, "Thou hast kept the good wine until now." (John ii. 10.)

LISHA the prophet, after performing two miracles, increasing the poor widow's oil, and raising the Shunammite's son from death to life, came to