Tuesday, June 23, 2009

The Fathers were not Always Original

“But by the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we believe to be saved in like manner as they also.” If, therefore, they, that is, the fathers, being unable to bear the yoke of the Old Law, believed that they were saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, it is clear that this grace saved even the just men of old through faith. Because “the just man liveth by faith,” therefore, these religious mysteries (sacraments) could vary according to the diversity of times, yet all refer most harmoniously to the unity of the same faith.

- Bede on Acts 15 (PL 92:976-77), plagiarizing Augustine’s Letter 190 (to Optatus) – translation based on the translation of Augustine by Sr. Wilfrid Parsons

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