“No man puts a piece of new cloth upon an old garment; for that which is put in to fill it up takes from the garment, and the rent is made worse. Neither do men put new wine into old bottles, else the bottles break, and the wine runs out, and the bottles perish; but they put new wine into new bottles, and both are preservedâ€
In summary, we learn from this parable that the truths of the Jewish church, which related principally to sacrifices and external ordinances, do not agree with the truths of the Christian church, in this dispensation of grace, which instill principally the law of love (Please read Matthew 22: 37-40), and thus the observance of internal worship, and that, as a result, the former are not to be mixed with the latter. If we mix them together, there will be problem.
We learn, in the second place, that the truths of the Christian church, being all of them from Heaven, are internal, spiritual, pure, and holy truths, and therefore require that the persuasions, sentiments, and ruling maxims of mankind should be in some sort of agreement with them, otherwise they will be dissipated, tainted, and destroyed. Let us resolve, and agree, therefore, from now on, to form our whole minds and lives according to the wisdom contained in the above parable, and at the same time, as we esteem the law of the Jewish rituals, as being a law of divine revelation, and the best accommodated to the temper of the Jewish people, for whose use it was given; we need not conceive ourselves bound to observe it according to its letter, now that we are favored with the interior spiritual law of the Christian dispensation (the dispensation of grace). Let us determine further, now that we have begun to put on the new garment, and to drink the new wine of Gospel truth, to lay aside the old garment, and discard the old bottles of our former mere natural ideas, sentiments, and persuasions, so that no rent may be made in the new garment, and the new wine may not run out.
Prayer: We pray that the Eternal Wisdom will obtain a safe and undefiled welcome in our hearts, and, connecting itself with persuasions which are in agreement with itself, will conduct us to all that security and joy announced by the Great Redeemer, Jesus Christ our Lord, when He says. They put new wine into new bottles, and both are preserved. Give us power Lord to believe you, understand you and obey you. Amen.
