John Winebrenner, A Popular Treatise on Regeneration (Philadelphia: John C. Clark, printer, 1844), sermon on the causes of regeneration, "The meritorious cause of regeneration," pp. 94–95

Man had ruined himself without cause, and forfeited all claims to the favour and mercy of his almighty Maker, and justly incurred the penalty of the law, and the wages of sin, which is death. Howbeit, as God had created…