Samuel Richardson (Baptist)


Samuel Richardson was an English layman and religious controversialist of the 1640s and 1650s, of Baptist views.

Life

From Northamptonshire, Richardson was probably an army preacher in the early part of the First English Civil War. He became a leading member of one of the seven Baptist churches of London: in the three confessions of faith put forth by these churches in 1643, 1644, and 1646, Richardson's signature stands beside that of John Spilsbury, minister of the congregation at Wapping.
Richardson supported the action of the parliamentary army and the government of Oliver Cromwell, to whom he had fee access. For a time he had scruples as to the title of "Lord Protector", and told Cromwell so to his face; then, becoming convinced, he tried to reconcile Vavasor Powell and others to the protectorate.

Theological views

Richardson defended Baptist practices and held strongly monergistic beliefs about justification similar to those of Tobias Crisp before him, and later John Gill. Salvation is exclusively by the grace of God and never depends on human faith or works, as justification is fully achieved on the cross as a result of the eternal decree of God to save the elect.
Richardson, as Tobias Crisp, held that the law is not necessary to bring persons to saving faith, and that the Puritan emphasis on the individual believer's consciousness of sin makes subjective sentiments the object of faith, rather than Christ: "We have made a Christ of our works, tears, and crying long enough", Richardson notes.
Human works as well as faith can only be considered results of God’s work in Christ as the Holy Spirit works in those who are justified. When Paul talks of justification by faith, he by “faith” simply means Christ. We are justified by Christ alone and not by our believing, Richardson claimed. Faith is an evidence of “interest in Christ but not a joint-partner with Christ”.
Richardson, in his Justification by Christ Alone from 1647, argued that the work of Christ alone is the means of justification:
“e grant God has decreed the end and the means, and whatsoever God has decreed shall unavoidably come to pass. But we deny that faith is any means of our Redemption, Justification, or Salvation. Nothing but the Lord Jesus Christ is the means of our salvation. There are means that are necessary to the revealing and enjoying the comfort of it, as the Holy Spirit and ministers to reveal it and faith to receive it; also, there be fruits and effects of the love of God, as faith, love, and obedience to Christ…yet these are no means of our salvation.”
Though holding a position in most of his works that can be described as clearly Particular Baptist and thus Calvinistic, Richardson in his last work expressed a form of eschatological universalism.

Works

Richardson wrote:
To Richardson have also been ascribed tentatively An exact and full Relation of all the Proceedings between the Cavaliers and the Northamptonshire Forces at Banbury, January 1643–4, signed R. S.; The King's March with the Scots, and a List of the 3 Lords, … that submit to the Parliament upon the surrender of Newark, London, May 1646; and Oxford agreed to be surrendered to Sir Thomas Fairfax, London, June 1646.