The divine will considered in its eternal decrees, and holy execution of them. By…

3. The third difference is that of the ⟨p. 114⟩Apostle, The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord, Rom. 6. 23. Eternal Life is a gift freely given; therefore the consideration of final Faith is not a prerequisite to the Decree of Salvation: But Death is wages exacted by the intrinsical merit of Sin, and paid only to a final Sinner; therefore the consideration of final sin is a prerequisite to the Decree of Damnation; without that consideration I see not how it can be decreed as Wages. But you'll say, Is not Eternal Life also a Reward of Faith and Holiness? and how then can that be decreed as a Reward without a preconsideration of these? I answer; Eternal Life is a Reward, but 'tis a Reward of pure Grace, 'tis Grace upon Grace, glorifying Grace upon sanctifying; therefore to the Decreeing thereof, as a Reward, it suffices that it be decreed to Believers and Saints. Not Believers and Saints so preconsidered to that Decree; for Grace and Glory (being both mere gifts, and gifts of immediate contact) are comprised in one Decree; but Believers and Saints so to be made by force of that Decree, and so to be made before they wear the Crown. This is enough in the decreeing ⟨p. 115⟩of a Reward so purely gratuitous. But in Eternal Death there is nothing at all gratuitous; all is mere wages and pay for Sin, Sin doth really and intrinsically merit it. Wherefore Eternal death, as such wages, is decreed only to final Sinners. Not final Sinners so to be made by force of God's Decree, for that makes no man a final Sinner; but final Sinners so preconsidered to the Decree of Damnation: for, without that preconsideration, it is not, as I conceive, decreeable as wages or pay due unto them.

3. The third difference is that of the ⟨p. 114⟩Apostle, The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord, Rom. 6. 23. Eternal Life is a gift freely given; therefore the consideration of final Faith is not a prerequisite to the Decree of Salvation: But Death is wages exacted by the intrinsecal merit of Sin, and paid only to a final Sinner; therefore the consideration of final sin is a prerequisite to the Decree of Damnation; without that consideration I see not how it can be decreed as Wages. But you'l say, Is not Eternal Life also a Reward of Faith and Holiness? and how then can that be decreed as a Reward without a preconsideration of these? I answer; Eternal Life is a Reward, but 'tis a Reward of pure Grace, 'tis Grace upon Grace, glorifying Grace upon sanctifying; therefore to the Decreeing thereof, as a Reward, it suffices that it be decreed to Believers and Saints. Not Believers and Saints so preconsidered to that Decree; for Grace and Glory (being both mere gifts, and gifts of immediate contact) are comprized in one Decree; but Believers and Saints so to be made by force of that Decree, and so to be made before they wear the Crown. This is enough in the decreeing