Benjamin Keach

Benjamin Keach (29 February 1640 – 18 July 1704) was an English Particular Baptist, known for his prolific writings in the 17th Century. He is most known for signing the Second London Baptist Confession (1689), an important document for the Particular Baptists.

Early Life

Benjamin Keach was born 29 February 1640 at Stokeham, in Buckinghamshire, England. Keep in mind this was prior to the Calendar Act of 1750. Benjamin grew up working a trade due to the increasing cost of a liberal education in England. However, his passion for books, reading, and the critical manner in which he read the Scriptures, his employment as a tradesmen proved uncongenial. In fact, this talent led to him joining a Baptist church in the account of silence in the Scriptures on infant baptism. His piety and talents were quickly recognized, and after about three years, in 1658, he was called to ministry. He would have been around 18 years old at the time. For the first two years of his ministry, he maintained a generally Arminian view. However, upon coming to London, he learned of another type of Baptist: the Calvinistic Baptists. In a few years he came to become Calvinistic in his sentiments and maintained that position for the rest of his life.

List of works:

Practical works:

• The child's instructor, or a new and easy primmer (1664)
• A summons to the grave; being Mr. John Norcot's funeral sermon (1676)
• Tropologia. A key to open Scripture metaphors (1682) *written with Thomas DeLaune.*
• The travels of true godliness (1683)
• The progress of sin; or the travels of ungodliness (1684)
• The counterfeit Christian; or the danger of hypocrisy (1691)
• The marrow of justification; being several sermons on Rom. iv. 5 (1692)
• The everlasting covenant; being a funeral sermon for Mr. Henry Forty (1693)
• A trumpet blown in Zion (1694)
• A golden mine laid open; or the glory of God's rich grace displayed (1694)
• God acknowledged; being a sermon on a particular fast (1696)
• The early seeker, and love of a dying Saviour (1697)
• The articles of the faith of the congregation of Horselydown. With the glory and discipline of a true church displayed. (1697)
• The display of glorious grace; or the covenant of grace opened (1698)
• Jacob's ladder improved (1698)
• A call to weeping; or a warning concerning present miseries (1699)
• Gospel mysteries unveiled; or an exposition of all the parables, &c. (1704)
• Instructions for children: or, the child's and youth's delight. Teaching an easie way to spell and read true English (1712)

Polemical works:

• Mr. Baxter's arguments for believer's baptism. A sheet. (1674)
• Darkness vanquished; being an answer to Danvers on the laying on of hands. (1675)
• Gold refined; or baptism in its primitive purity (1689)
• The gospel minister's maintenance vindicated (1689)
• Antichrist stormed; or the Popish church proved to be mystery Babylon (1689)
• Pedobaptism; being an answer to the Athenian Society (1691)
• Breah repaired in God's worship; or singing, &c. (1691)
• A sober reply to Mr. Steed's epistle concerning singing (1691)
• The rector rectified, &c. (1692)
• The axe laid to the root; or one blow more at the foundation of infants' baptism, and church membership, part I (1693)
• The axe laid to the root; wherein Mr. Flavel's, Mr. Rothwell's, and Mr. Exall's arguments are answered, part II (1693)
• A counter antidote; or an answer to Shute's antidote, to prevent the prevalency of Anabaptism (1694)
• Light broke forth in Wales (1696)
• A medium between two extremes (1698)
• The Jewish Sabbath abrogated, &c. (1700)
• The French imposter detected; or an answer to Zachary Housel and Dr. Coward, who denied the soul's immortality. With a Frontispiece. (1702)

Poetical works:

• Sion in distress, &c. (1666)
• War with the Devil (1673) *There were multiple impressions released over the years of his life with different dates.*
• The grand imposter discovered; or the Quaker's doctrine weighed in the balance and found wanting (1674)
• A Preface recommendatory to Mr. Balmford's poem, entitled, The Seaman's spiritual companion. (1678)
• A pillar set up to keep in remembrance his first dear and beloved wife. A sheet. (1679)
• The glorious lover (1679) *There were multiple impressions released over the years of his life with different dates.*
• The victorious Christian, or the triumph of faith; being prison meditations. A sheet. (1685)
• Spiritual melody; containing several Scriptural songs and hymns (1696)
• A Preface to Mr. Prudom's Truth unveiled by Scripture light. (1699)
• A Preface to Mr. Prudom's new world discovered; in which Mr. Keach declares his opinion of the millenium (1704)