“The love of God, in its operation, makes us amiable, but it did not find us so. Our goodness was not the motive of his love, but his love is the original of our goodness. Redemption is a free favor, not excited by the worth of him that receives it. ‘Herein God commended his love to us, that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.’ Romans, v., 8.” — William S. Plumer, God's Wonderful Love in The Southern Pulpit, Vol. 1 (1881), p. 420