Chalmers on the English Particular Baptists

Thomas Chalmers (1780-1847), a Scottish Presbyterian minister, speaking about a difference on baptism, nevertheless made these complimentary remarks on the English Particular Baptists.

Let it never be forgotten of the Particular Baptists of England, that they form the denomination of Fuller and Carey and Ryland and Hall and Foster;[i] that they have originated among the greatest of all missionary enterprises; that they have enriched the Christian literature of our country with authorship of the most exalted piety, as well as of the first talent and the first eloquence; that they have waged a very noble and successful war with the hydra of Antinomianism; that perhaps there is not a more intellectual community of ministers in our island, or who, have put forth to their number a greater amount of mental power and mental activity in the defence and illustration of our common faith; and, what is better than all the triumph of genius or understanding, who, by their zeal and fidelity and pastoral labour among the congregations which they have reared, have done more to swell the lists of genuine discipleship in the walks of private society—and thus both to uphold and to extend the living Christianity of our nation.

He notes their (1) zealous missionary endeavours, (2) excellent religious writings, (3) active defense of the Christian faith, and (4) faithful making of disciples. Thomas Chalmers, “Lecture XIV,” Lectures on the Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Romans, New York, NY: Robert Carter & Brothers, 1844, 76. (Thanks to Michael A. G. Haykin for calling attention to this passage in Chalmers.)

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[i] These men are Andrew Fuller, William Carey, John Ryland Jr., Robert Hall Jr., and John Foster.

Acts 27:1-8

1-8 starting toward Rome

Verse 1: The journey to Rome begins.[1] A determination was made to travel to Italy by ship.[2] Paul and other prisoners are delivered into the care of Julius, a centurion of Augustus’ band. Over the course of the trip to Rome, Julius shows great good will and courtesy to Paul. Paul was not a violent criminal, but a prisoner of religious persecution and his own legal appeal. He was considered innocent by Agrippa, but deserving of a trip to Rome due to his appeal to Cæsar. No doubt Julius was informed of these matters.

• At Sidon Julius gave Paul the liberty to meet with his friends, 27:3
• Julius accepted Paul’s exhortation that all must stay in the ship, 27:30-32

Verse 2: Adramyttium was a seaport in Mysia (cf. Acts 16:7-8), on the northwest coast of Asia Minor.[3] “a ship of Adramyttium” indicates the port of origin for this ship in which the apostle Paul sailed as a prisoner – not that they traveled to Adramyttium and then departed from there by ship (cf. verse 6 and 28:11, “a ship of Alexandria”). This ship mean to “sail by the coasts of Asia.” However, left from Caesarea and sailed to Myra, a city of Lycia. There the group transferred to another vessel. “we should sail” and “with us” indicate that Luke is traveling on the ship with Paul, and travels to Rome with him.[4] Aristarchus, a Macedonian of Thessalonica, also traveled with them (cf. Acts 19:29; 20:4).

Verse 3: The ship first sails north some 80 miles to the port of Sidon, where the centurion Julius “courteously entreated Paul, and gave him liberty to go unto his friends to refresh himself.” The friends would be Christian friends, with whom he would have food and fellowship. Sidon is mentioned by Luke in Luke 4:26; 6:17; 10:13-14; and Acts 12:20. On his previous return trip to Jerusalem, Paul had stayed with disciples at Tyre (21:3-4), which was about 20-25 miles south of Sidon.

Verses 4-5: From Sidon they sailed west, going “under Cyprus” because the winds were contrary – against them, blowing the wrong direction.[5] They sailed over the sea of Cilicia and Pamphylia (the part of the Mediterranean Sea below these places). They landed at Myra, a city of Lycia. Lycia was a province on the southwest tip of Asia.[6]

Cæsarea to Rome, in five stages:

• The first stage of the trip was by sea from Cæsarea to Myra (27:1-5)
• The second stage of the trip was by sea from Myra to The fair havens (27:6-12)
• The third stage of the trip was by sea from The fair havens to Melita (27:13-44)
• The fourth stage of the trip was by sea from Melita to Puteoli (28:1, 11-13)
• The fifth stage of the trip was by land from Puteoli to Rome (28:14-16)

Verse 6: “a ship of Alexandria,” that is, its port of origin. Alexandria was a large seaport on the north African coast of Egypt. The eloquent Christian leader Apollos was born at Alexandria (cf. Acts 18:24).

Verses 7-8: Luke recounts the voyage from Myra to “The fair havens” (καλους λιμενας). At Myra, a city of Lycia, the passengers boarded a ship of Alexandria and headed out to sea. The voyage was slow; the winds were contrary. They sailed using the island of Crete as protection from the wind, finally reaching The fair havens, near the city of Lasea.

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[1] Many commentators surreptitiously pretend to be scholars and Bible-believers while attacking the integrity of the inspired accounts. This account is one that often exposes their unbelief. For example, Ernst Haenchen (The Acts of the Apostles: A Commentary, Philadelphia, PA: Westminster Press, 1965/1971, pp. 698-711) spills much ink attacking Luke’s account of this sea voyage, even descending to mockery, “Paul alone sees the danger beforehand and gives warning…he, the prisoner, saves them all…Scholars like Zahn, Ramsay and E. Meyer…do not observe with what a constructive imagination that author achieves his goal…those edifying supplements which extol Paul are additions by the author to a journal of reminiscences which could not report anything special about Paul…” Let God be true, but every man a liar.
[2] The destination is Rome, but only Italy can be reached by ship. Rome is inland, requiring land travel.
[3] The town of Edremit in Balıkesir Province on the Aegean coast of northwestern Turkey preserves the name. One might suspect this ship was “homeward bound, engaging in coastwise traffic with ‘the ports along the coast of Asia.’” See “Adramyttium,” A. E. Willingale, The New Bible Dictionary, p. 16.
[4] “we” 27:1-5, 7, 15-16, 18-20, 26-27, 29, 37; 28:10-14, 16 (26 times). “us” 27:2, 6-7, 20; 28:2, 7; 10; 14-15 (12 times). “our” 27:10, 19 (twice).
[5] Probably “south of,” but possibly “under [the lee of] Cyprus,” that is, to the east of it, using the island to protect or shelter them from the wind that was contrary to them.
[6] See “Lycia” and “Myra” in The New Bible Dictionary, pp. 760, 856.