The Conditionalist Faith of Our Fathers, vol. 2

IV. Baptist Richardson Opposes Eternal Torment Dogma

About the same time SAMUEL RICHARDSON (fl. 1633-1646), controversialist and former army preacher, was pastor of the first Particular (Calvinistic) Baptist church to be established in London, in 1633. ¹⁶ It was one of the seven Baptist churches of the metropolis. Though biographical data is meager, he was known to be author of eleven works, including a rather remarkable treatise for the time entitled Of the Torments of Hell: the Foundations thereof discover’d, search’d, shaken and remov’d. With Many Infallible Proofs that there is not to be a Punishment after this Life for any to endure that shall never end. By Samuel Richardson, London, 1658. ¹⁷—with four reprints between 1660 and 1754. ¹⁸ This topic was, of course, different from, though related to, the more constantly agitated sleep of the soul in death. CFF2 183.1

As with many books of the time, the thesis of the volume was really compacted into its extended title. In the Introduction, Richardson says that “the love of truth, and desire to learn, drew me into this search, and caused me to dissent, not for contention, but for truth sake.” He asserts that we ought to “seek and imbrace,” and if necessary to “suffer” for, truth. “The manifestation of light and love,” he observes, “hath overthrown many brave inventions and doctrines of men.” After most earnest “seeking” and “diligent search,” Richardson was “fully and confidently persuaded” that he was pleading for “truth” on the fate of the wicked in his presentation. CFF2 183.2

First, inquiring into Christ’s “descending into Hell,” as the creed of orthodoxy puts it, he refers to Bucer’s understanding that this referred to Christ’s burial. Richardson contends that she’ol and hades refer to the grave, while geenna connotes Hell-fire. The limitations of “everlasting” are also pointed out. Even if the fire be “everlasting,” he insists that that which is cast therein is destroyed, being likened in Scripture to chaff and stubble. CFF2 184.1

In this way Richardson “shakes” the Eternal-Torment School of teaching of his day, while facetiously suggesting, as an aside, that water is not so scarce in Hell as his opponents would contend—seeing that where there is such weeping there are tears, and where there are tears, there is water! But, in most serious vein he shows how the “seven pillars of Hell” are “shaken and removed.” Here they are in condensed form: CFF2 184.2

(1) The Greek Fathers, through ignorance of Hebrew, gave wrong interpretations; (2) Hebrew and Greek copyists made obvious mistakes, there being now no originals to consult; (3) expositors misinterpreted she’ol for Hell-torment; (4) consent of preachers and blind belief of the people; (5) wresting scriptures from their plain meaning; (6) false arguments and reasons; and (7) preaching “Hell-torment” as a means of “perswasion to a Holy Life.” ¹⁹ CFF2 184.3

Richardson “removes” these “pillars” with a heavy hand. Then, turning from the negative to the positive, he gives twenty pointed “Infallible Proofs” for his position on the ultimate destruction of the wicked. Proof XVIII reads: CFF2 184.4

“God, He is just, therefore He will not do anything but that which is just and right: the greatest punishment of the breach of His law is death; He will not inflict another, much less a worser punishment than He hath expressed in His law.” ²⁰ CFF2 184.5

Richardson’s treatise is a pertinent example of a mid-seventeenth-century Conditionalist presentation by an outspoken pastor. Discussion of the issue was widespread, as is evidenced by the fact that the treatise was many times reprinted, even as late as 1833 in the United States, and was translated into several Continental languages as well—twice into French, in 1769 and even in 1823. CFF2 184.6

Richardson’s treatise, it should be remarked, did not pass unchallenged. A sharp rejoinder was forthcoming in 1678, as John Brandon wrote Everlasting Fire no Fancy. Being an Answer to a late Pestilent Pamphlet [by S. Richardson]; entitled The Foundations of Hell-Torments shaken and removed. And even in 1720 John Lewis offered another answer to Richardson’s tractate, which he named The Nature of Hell, the Reality of Hell-Fire, and the Eternity of Hell-Torments, explain’d and vindicated. ²¹ So the battle raged. CFF2 185.1