Check out this new book written by the Journal's founder, Matthew Stanton!
“Liturgy and Identity” New Book Now On Sale
Advent is Upon Us
In 1696 published the hymnbook A Feast of Fat Things Full of Marrow (London: printed by Benjamin Harris, 1696). This work was formatted in two parts. First, Keach included eleven songs which he had taken from both the Old and New Testaments. These were songs of Moses, Zechariah, Isaiah, Simon, Hannah, and Mary. The second section comprised of 100 hymns. These hymns paralleled a... Continue Reading →
Ejected from the Pulpit and Subjected to Pain
Ejected from the Pulpit and Subjected to Pain: Benjamin Keach (1640-1704) and Dissenting Ministers in Seventeenth-Century England Written by: Matthew Stanton As our title suggests, there were many dissenting ministers in seventeenth-century England who were ejected from their pulpit and subjected to persecution as exemplified by Benjamin Keach. This paper, whilst noting some of the... Continue Reading →
How Come We Keep Missing Keach’s Birthday?
Benjamin Keach had the unfortunate privileged, as many do, of being born on February 29th 1640. As such he was born on a leap year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar and a leap year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar. In the Julian calendar each year contained 12 months and there were an average of 365.25 days in... Continue Reading →
Keach on Pain and Suffering
On October 9, 1664, Benjamin Keach appeared before Lord Chief Justice Hyde. As a dissenting minister, Keach's crime was found to be his teaching -via publication- which was contrary to the Church of England. In his recently published book, one meant for the instruction of children; Keach revealed several points of doctrine which did not... Continue Reading →
Keach’s Baptismal Record 1639
Keach's Baptismal Record Special thanks to the Centre for Buckinghamshire Studies for allowing the use of this scan (PR 195/1/1) and Austin Walker for forwarding it on to the Journal. Keach's Baptismal Record (Cited) Below is a scan of the records which has highlighted (courtesy of Austin Walker) in two parts. The first is the account of Keach's brother,... Continue Reading →
Austin Walker- The Identification of the Mother of Benjamin Keach
The Identification of the Mother of Benjamin Keach This addition to Keach's biography is brought to light here by Austin Walker. The testimony of Keach’s Regester In the Regester of Keach’s Horselydown congregation we find the following entry relating to the year 1640, Benjamin Keach son of John Keach and Joyce his wife was born at Stockhamon in... Continue Reading →
Keach as a Reformer
"It must be confessed, that reformation is, and ever was, an hard and difficult work; and no easy thing to restore lost ordinances, especially such as have been left for many years neglected, and strangely corrupted…truth is never without its opposers."—Benjamin Keach in The Breach Repaired in God’s Worship
A Challenge to Modern Hymn-Writers
Keach strongly believed that the lyrical content of a hymn should be theologically sound. Meaning that the words being sung had to contain biblical principles, thoughts, and teachings. While Keach never claimed that his hymns were inspired as the Davidic Psalms were, he believed that they worked in instructing those who sang them and committed... Continue Reading →
Keach on Public Worship
Keach is perhaps best known for his work in 'repairing the breach found in the public worship of God'. Central to his efforts was Keach's high elevation of public or corporate worship. This elevation of public worship over private worship had deep puritan roots. To the Puritans, the worship service was more than just a gathering of like-minded believers, rather it was often... Continue Reading →
Benjamin Keach Journal 