The description of his Person and Temper, together with an account of his Writings. THOUGH We have drawn St. Paul at large, in the account we have given of his life, yet may it be of use to represent him in little, in a brief account of his person, parts, and those graces and virtues, for which he was more peculiarly eminent and remarkable. For his person, we find it thus described.' He was low, and of little stature, and somewhat stooping, his complexion fair, his countenance grave, his head small, his eyes carrying a kind of beauty and sweetness in them, his eyebrows a little hanging over, his nose long, but gracefully bending, his beard thick, and like the hair of his head, mixed with gray hairs. Somewhat of this description may be learnt from Lu 1 Niceph. H. Eccl. lib. ii. c. 37, p. 196. VOL. II. B .' 2 cian,' when in the person of Trypho, one of St. Paul's disciples, he calls him by way of derision, high-nosed, bald-pated Galilean, that was caught up through the air unto the third heaven,' where he learnt great and excellent things. That he was very low, himself plainly intimates, when he tells us, they were wont to say of him, that his bodily presence was weak, and his speech contemptible;' in which respect he is styled by Chrysostom, ¿ τρίπηχυς ἄνθρωπος, a man three cubits [or a little more than four foot] high, and yet tall enough to reach heaven.3 He seems to have enjoyed no very firm and athletic constitution, being often subject to distempers. St. Jerome particularly reports, that he was frequently afflicted with the head-ach, and that this was thought by many to have been 'the thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan sent to buffet him,' and that probably he intended some such thing by the temptation in his flesh,'' which he elsewhere speaks of: which, however it may in general signify those afflictions that came upon him, yet does it primarily denote those diseases and infirmities that he was obnoxious to. 2. But how mean soever the cabinet was, there was a treasure within more precious and valuable, as will appear, if we survey the accomplishments of his mind. For as to his natural abilities and endowments, he seems to have had a clear and solid judgment, quick invention, a prompt and ready memory; all which were abundantly improved by art, and the advantages of a more liberal education. The schools of Tarsus had sharpened 1 Philopatr. tom. ii. p. 999. 2 2 Cor. x. 10. 3 Serm. in Petr. et Paul. p. 265, tom. vi. 5 Gal. iv. 14. |