14 Humours. this word is used Aristoph. Plut. 581, of the obscuring effect of old prejudices.
15 Reward. Faith is, as Clémencet remarks, "the gift of God" - but cf. S. John vii. 17.
17 Hesiod: Works and Days, 700.
19 Except, etc. Lit., "except the necessary and mystical (i.e., liturgical) [words]."
21 The drop. A familiar proverb. Choerilus, 9.
22 Conviction. Lit., "healing."
24 The wonder. S. Gregory the elder ought, according to the rite of admission to the ranks of the Catechumens, to have remained standing, and in that position have had his ears anointed. He fell upon his knees and the Bishop, in forgetfulness, pronounced over him the form of ordination to the Priesthood.
26 The gift of faith. One of the questions in some ancient rites of administering Holy Baptism was, "What seekest thou of the Church?" to which the answer was "Faith."
27 The baptiser. The Bishop of Nazianzus - not Leontius of Caesarea, who had much to do with Gregory's instruction and had, possibly, admitted him to the order of Catechumens.
34 1 Tim. ii. 7; 2 Tim. i. 11.
37 Purpose, etc. A.V. "Vexatior, of Spirit." R.V. "Striving after wind."
38 Sabellianising, etc. Cf. II. 36, 37 (notes).
39 Degrees. the heretics asserted that the Father, Son and Holy Ghost were arranged in this order according to a real difference in rank.
40 A document. Benoît (I. p. 179) gives reasons for believing that this was the creed of the council of Antioch, A.D. 363 - which accepted the Creed of Nicaea, but explained it in terms capable of a semiarian construction. The "over zealous part" were the monks.
41 Partner. S. Gregory had a considerable share in the explanations which made clear his father's real orthodoxy, and re-established peace. Orat vi. was pronounced by him on the occasion.
44 Better Clémencet compares Dem. De Corona.
47 To the Sanctuary,, i.e., To the Priesthood.
48 Ps. xxiii. 5. Rod and Staff, i.e., Punishment and support.
64 On behalf of or perhaps "at the head of." The passage does not mean that he actually celebrated the Holy Mysteries, but that he used some of the prayers of the service, and untied himself in intention with the service being at the time performed in the church, and invoked the Divine blessing upon his people in has absence.
65 The new day. On this feast (in another year) Orat. xliv. was preached.
71 Dan. xiv. 33. (sc. Hist. of Bel. v. 33).
74 Their, i.e., of the Bishops.
76 In imminent peril, lit. "on a razor's edge." Homer Il. x. 173
77 Nazarities, i.e., "the monks."
78 Your divine, etc., addressed to S. Basil.
79 There was lacking. The Council of Nicaea ordered that a Bishop should be consecrated by at least three Bishops.