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Keach joined a Baptist church early in life, and began to preach at age 18. For the next 10 years, he worked as an evangelist in towns and villages, often being persecuted for his principles as a Baptist and Nonconformist. Upon publication of The Childs Instructor, he was fined, pilloried, and imprisoned. He was the minister of the congregation at Winslow before moving in 1668 to the church at Horse-lie-down, Southwark where he remained for 36 years as pastor. It was as representative of this church that Keach went to the 1689 General Assembly and subscribed the 1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith. The signing of the confession was no mute doctrinal assent on the part of the church, for in the same year they entered into a Solemn Covenant which reflects, at the practical and congregational level, some of the doctrines of the confession. There was a secession from Horse-lie-down in 1673 and the Old Kent Road congregation was formed. From this congregation eventually came the New Park Street Church where C. H. Spurgeon became the Pastor, later moving to the new location at the Metropolitan Tabernacle. Spurgeon republished the 1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith for use in the congregation In 1668, Keach moved to London and became pastor of a Baptist church which met first in private houses, and later in Horselydown, Southwark. There a large congregation gathered around him, to which he ministered with great acceptance until his death. He was the first to introduce singing to Baptist congregations. Keach wrote 43 works, of which his "Parables and Metaphors of Scripture" may be the best known. He wrote a work entitled "A Child's Instructor" which immediately brought him under persecution and he was fined and pilloried in 1664. He is attributed with the writing of a Catechism commonly known as "Keach's Catechism", although it is most likely that the original was compiled by William Collins. Keach is also know to have promoted the introduction of hymn singing in the churches. |
Keach wrote a work entitled A Child's Instructor which immediately got him in trouble and he was fined and pilloried in 1664. His sentence was carried out with the following announcement:
Benjamin
Keach's Catechism |
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