Sing unto the Lord a new song, and his praise from the end of the earth. Psal. 96. 1. O sing unto the Lord a new song, sing unto the Lord all the earth. Rev. 5. 9. And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the booke. Rev. 14. 3. And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the foure beasts. Though now and then that is called a new song, wherein the name of God is celebrated for some new benefit of deliverance at what time soever vouchsafed; as Psal. 40. 3. And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise to our God. Againe, that is new, which is perpetuall, shall never wax old, or vanish away; Heb. 8. 13. In that he saith, A new Covenant, he hath made the first old, Now that which decayeth, and waxeth old is ready to vanish away. And in this sence may that of the Apostle, 1 John 2. 8. well be understood, Againe, a new Commandement I write unto you, which thing is true in him, and in you.
In the Covenant of grace God promiseth to put a new spirit into his people. Ezek. 11. 19. not new for the matter, not for the inward forme or kind, but the frame and fashion:Ezek. 18.31. a new spirit renewed in qualities, not changed in substance. And so the faithfull are said to put on the new man, which after God is created in holinesse and righteousnesse, Ephes. 4. 24. Col. 3. 10. And in Christ neither Circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature, Gal 6. 15. that is, a new manEph. 2.15. refined, reformed, and renewed by God in Christ Jesus. And it may be, the renewed soule is called the new man, or new creature, because it is noble, beautifull, fresh and vigorous, never to wither or decay with age. And whatsoever we must understand by the new heavens and the new earth promised, Isai. 65. 17. and 66. 22. Revel. 21. 1. the title new seemeth to import the admirable excellencie and continuance thereof, never to alter or decay, but to remaine before the Lord.
In all these respects the Covenant of Grace is fitly called the new Covenant or Testament, Jer. 31. 31. Heb. 8. 8. 2 Cor. 3. 6. for it is divers from that which God made with the Fathers before Christ, most necessary and excellent, never to wax old, or to decay. By it a new light of the doctrine of the Gospell shined to the world, it had new worship, new adoration, a new forme of the Church, new witnesses, new tables, new Sacraments and Ordinances, and these never to be abrogated or disanulled, neverto
