Matthew Poole and continuators on Romans 6:23

23 For the wages of sin is death : but the gift of God is eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

q. d. Now therefore compare the Office of both these services together, and you shall easily see which Master is best to serve and obey; the wages that Sin will pay you, in the end is Death; but the reward that God will freely bestow upon you▪ (if you be his Servants) is eternal Life, through Iesus Christ our Lord.

The word properly signifies Victuals. The Romans of old paid their Souldiers with Provision and Victuals in recompence of their service; afterward they gave them Money, but still the old term was retained, and now it is used to signify any reward or stipend whatsoever.

By death here we must understand not only temporal, but also and more especially eternal death, as appears by the opposition it hath to eternal Life: This is the just and true hire of Sin.

He doth not say that eternal life is the wages of Righteousness, but that it is the gracious or free Gift of God. He varies the Phrase on purpose, to shew, that we attain not eternal Life by our own merits, our own works or worthiness, but by the Gift or Grace of God; for which cause he also addeth, through Iesus Christ our Lord. vid. Aug. lib. de gratia & libero arbitrio. c. 9. Let the Papists (if they can) reconcile this Text to their distinction of Mortal and Venial Sins, and to their Doctrine of the Meritoriousness of good Works.

Marginal references: Gen. 2.17. Chap 5.12. Jam. 1.15.; Or, the gracious and free gift[illegible: 1 letter]