Patristic A.D. 420
“God becomes the object of love when he conveys how much he loves us. For when someone does something without obligation, one demonstrates love in a special way. And what would be less of an obligation than that a master who is without sin should die for his faithless servants, and that the Creator of the universe should be hanged for the sake of his own creatures? Note that when the apostle says that believers in Christ were once sinners he means that now they are no longer sinners, so that they may recall how they ought to behave.”
Historical Christian Faith commentaries database, on Rom 5:8 (PELAGIUS'S COMMENTARY ON ROMANS)
PD · Historical Christian Faith commentaries database ↗