PREFACE. ix discussion as to the Two Natures ; and will probably continue to do so. But before the subject of the " communication of attributes " can be entered upon, we must remember that Christ's mere humanity (as has been lately pointed out ^) is, to begin with, sinless. He was perfect man. What the attributes of a perfect, as contrasted with a fallen, humanity are, it is not given except by inference to know ; but no Father has discussed this subject of Adam's nature more fully than Gregory, in his treatise On the Making ofMan, The reasons for classing the Great Catechism as an Apologetic are given in the Prolegomena : • here from first to last Gregory shows himself a genuine pupil of Origen. The plan of Revela- tion is made to rest on man's free-will ; every objection to it is answered by the fact of this free- will. This plan is unfolded so as to cover the whole of human history ; the beginning, the middle, and the end are linked, in the exposition, indissolubly together. The Incarnation is the turning- point of history ; and yet, beyond this, its effects are for all Creation. Who made this theology ? Origen doubtless ; and his philosophy of Scripture, based on a few leading texts, became, one point excepted, the property of the Church : she at last possessed a Theodicee that borrowed nothing from Greek ideas. So far, then, every one who used it was an Origenist : and yet Gregory alone has suffered from this charge. In using this Theodicee he has in some points surpassed his master, /. e. in showing in details the skilfulness (aocjjia) which effected the real " touching " of humanity ; and how the " touched " soul and the " touched " body shall follow in the path of the Redeemer's Resurrection. To the many points of modern interest in this Gregory should be added his eschatology, which occupies a large share of his thoughts. On l7ifants' Eai'ly Deaths is a witness of this. In fact, when not occupied in defending, on one side or another, the Baptismal Formula, he is absorbed in eschatology. He dwells continually on the agonizing and refining processes of Purgatory. But to claim him as one who favours the doctrine of " Eternal Hope " in a universal sense is hardly possible, when we consider the passage in On the Soul and the Resurrection where he speaks of a Last Judgment as coming after the Resurrection and Purgatory. So much has been said in a Preface, in order to show that this Volume is a step at least towards reinstating a most interesting writer, doubtless one of the most highly educated of his time, and, let it be observed as well, a canonized saint (for, more fortunate than his works, he was never branded as a heretic), in his true position. In a first English translation of Treatises and Letters most of which (notably the books against Eunomius) have never been illustrated by a single translator's note, and by but a handful of scholia, a few passages remain, which from the obscurity of their allusion, local or historical, are unexplained. In others the finest shades of meaning in one Greek word, insisted on in some argument, but which the best English equivalent fails to represent, cause the appearance of obscurity. But, throughout, the utmost clearness possible without unduly straining the literal meaning has been aimed at ; and in passages too numerous to name, most grateful acknowledg- ment is here made ofthe invaluable suggestions of the Rev. J. H. Lupton. It is hoped that the Index of Subjects will be of use, in lieu of an analysis, where an analysis has not been provided. The Index of Texts, all of which have been strictly verified, while it will be found to prove Gregory's thorough knowledge of Scripture (nothwithstanding his somewhat classical training), does not attempt to distinguish between citation and reminis- cence ; care, however, has been taken that the reminiscence should be undoubted. The Index of Greek words (as also the quotations in foot-notes of striking sentences) has been provided for those interested in the study of later Greek. • W. M. July,, 1892. • * Christus Comprobator, p. 99, sq.