Faith Before And After

Beatus Apostolus primis et novissimis, id est, Judaeis et Graecis, fidei vexillum unicum semper et singulare erigit ad salutem: quod quisqis habere non meruerit et tenere, coelestium possidere non poterit gloriam triumphorum. Solum est, fratres, quod contra perfidiam dimicantibus aciem dirgit, regem indicat, connectit socios, impiumque hostem sola sui visione terrificat. Sic enim hodie coepit: Non est autem scriptum propter Abraham tantum, quod reputatum est illi ad justitiam; sed et propter nos credentes in eum qui suscitavit Jesum Dominum nostrum a mortuis. Videtis, fratres, quia dum priores futura, dum praeterita credunt posteri, sic uno itinere fidei utrique perveniunt ad salutem, dum illi venturum Christum, nos jam venisse profitemur, illi usque ad mortem more hominis descensurum mirantur et credunt, nos esse mortuum et resurrexisse gloriamur. Et quid plura, fratres? Ideo salus haec tam antecendentium, quam sequentium oculis est negata, ut tota esset in fide. Sanctus Petrus Chrysologus, Sermo CX Source: Migne PL 52.503a-c

The blessed Apostle, for the first and the last, that is, for the Jew and the Greek, always holds up the one and only standard of faith, thus to lead them to salvation, because whoever does not merit to hold to it, will not be able to possess the glory of the triumphant in heaven. This alone, brothers, is what directs in the struggles against the battle lines of the faithless, it alone declares the king, it alone unites friends, and the mere sight of it alone terrifies the impious enemy. And so today the Apsotle begins: 'That this was credited to him as righteousness was not written for Abraham's sake but for ours, who believe in Him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead.' 1 You see, brothers, that as those before believed in future events, so those after believe in past events, thus by the one way of faith both come to salvation. While they confessed Christ would come, we now confess He has come; they marvelled and believed that He was going to come down and die in the manner of a man, we glory that He has died and risen. And what more, brothers? That as this salvation was denied to the eyes of those who came before, so it is to those who come after, that all be in faith. Saint Peter Chrysologus, from Sermon 110 1 Rom 4.23-24