Today marks the 380th birthday of Benjamin Keach, influential London Particular Baptist Pastor who was born February 29, 1640 in Buckinghamshire. Keach left a legacy of primitive purity in worship that can still be seen today. I consider Keach one of my heroes in the faith, and his extant writings continue to encourage me to follow Scripture in both faith and practice. The purpose in writing this short essay is to share some of Keach’s legacy.
Keach loved the Word of God, and he fought for worship that was regulated by Scripture. His son-in-law Thomas Crosby writes about Keach as a young man and new believer,
He [Keach] applied himself very early to the study of the Scripture, and the attainments of divine knowledge; and observing the Scripture to be entirely silent concerning the baptism of infants, he began to suspect the validity of the baptism he had received in his infancy, and after he had deliberated upon this matter, was in the fifteenth year of his age baptized, upon the profession of his faith, by Mr. John Russel, and then joined himself to a congregation of that persuasion in the country.
Thomas Crosby, The History of English Baptists, Volume IV, 269
At the age of eighteen, Keach’s local church affirmed his call to ministry and he began to preach. In 1668, He was ordained into the gospel ministry, and he became the pastor of a church meeting in Southwark. On Keach’s preaching, Crosby notes,
Preaching the Gospel was the very pleasure of his soul and his heart was so engaged in the work of the ministry, that from the time of his first appearing in public, to the end of his days, his life was one continued scene of labour and toil. His close study and constant preaching did greatly exhaust his animal spirits, and enfeeble his strength, yet to the last he discovered a becoming zeal against the prevailing errors of the day; his soul was too great to recede from any truth that he owned, either from the frowns or flatteries of the greatest.
Thomas Crosby, The History of English Baptists, Volume IV, 304
Keach’s love for Scripture and primitive purity also led him to argue zealously in many of the disputes of his time. He was a prevalent writer in controversies on topics including: congregational song, baptism, laying on of hands, the Sabbath, Quakerism, and Neonomianism. Keach’s fire for truth often led him into deep controversy even with his Particular Baptist brethren.
Like all human beings, Keach was a flawed man. At times he struggled with his temper. This being said, his love for God and the brethren was shown in his repentance. Crosby explains,
The vivacity of his temper sometimes exposed him, to sharp and sudden fits of anger, which occasioned no small uneasiness to himself, as well as those who had given any provocation; but those fits were but of a short continuance and so the trouble occasioned by them was soon over: and the goodness and tenderness of his nature was such, as afterwards made sufficient amends to those who had fallen under his resentment. Besides if his natural passion, at any time, so far transported him, as to cause him to speak any rash or offensive words, he was presently recovered, and would with the greatest humility and frankness retract what he had said; and thereby did discover, that not the least degree of prejudice, remained in his breast.
Thomas Crosby, The History of English Baptists, Volume IV, 307
Keach fought the good fight of faith until his death in the year 1704. He was a devoted pastor, loving husband, committed father, and scripturally sound theologian. He was a mighty voice in the war for liturgical reformation in the seventeenth century, and he remained faithful despite much persecution. Dear reader, I beseech you to join Keach in the good fight for reformation in worship. In closing, I leave you with one more quotation that reflects upon the life of this man of God. Crosby pens,
I shall only observe, that he was a person of great integrity of soul; a Nathaniel indeed; his conversation not frothy and vain, but serious, without being morose or sullen. He began to be religious early, and continued faithful to the last. He was not shock’d by the fury of his persecutors, tho’ he suffer’d so much from them for the cause of Christ.
Thomas Crosby, The History of English Baptists, Volume IV, 304