Bate, Julius

, an English divine of the Hutchinsonian principles, was a younger son of the Rev. Richard Bate, vicar of Chilham and rector of Warehorn, who died in 1736. He was born about 1711, and matriculated at St. John’s college, Cambridge, where he took his degrees, of B. A. 1730, and M. A. 1742. He was an intimate friend of the celebrated Hutchinson, as we learn from Mr. Spearman’s life of that remarkable author), by whose recommendation he obtained from Charles duke of Somerset a presentation to the living of Sutton in Sussex, near his seat at Petworth. Mr. Bate attended Hutchinson in his last illness (1737), and was by him in a most striking manner recommended to the protection of an intimate friend, “with a strict charge not to suffer his labours to become useless by neglect.” It having been reported that Hutchinson had recanted the publication of his writings to Dr. Mead a little before his death; that circumstance was flatly contradicted by a letter from Mr. Bate, dated Arundel, January 20, 1759. He died at Arundel, April 7, 1771. His evangelical principles of religion shone with a steady lustre, not only in his writings, but in his life. Disinterested, and disdaining the mean arts of ambition, he was contented with the small preferment he had in the church. As a Christian and a friend, he was humble and pious, tender, affectionate, and faithful; as a writer, warm, strenuous, and undaunted, in asserting the truth.

His publications were, 1. “The Examiner examined, &c. (against Calcott) with some observations upon the Hebrew Grammar,” 1739. 2. “An essay towards explaining the third chapter of Genesis, in answer to Mr. Warburton,” 1741, 8vo. Warburton, in his “Divine Legation,” 1740, preface, accuses “one Julius Bate,” in conjunction with “one Romaine,” of betraying private conversation, and writing fictitious letters. 3. “The philosophical principles of Moses asserted and defended against the misrepresentations of Mr. David Jennings,” 1744, 3vo. 4. “Remarks upon Mr. Warburton’s remarks, shewing that the ancients knew there was a future state, and that the Jews were not under an equal Providence,” 1745, 8vo. 5. “The faith ef the ancient Jews in the law of Moses and the evidence | of the types, vindicated in a letter to Dr. Stebbing,” 1747, 8vo. 6. “Proposals for printing Hutchinson’s works,” 1748. 7. “A defence of Mr. Hutchinson’s plan,” 1743. 8. “An Hebrew Grammar, formed on the usage of words by the inspired writers,” 1750, 8vo. 9. “The use and intent of Prophecy, and history of the Fall cleared,” 1750, 8vo, occasioned by Middleton’s examination of Sherlock. 10. “A defence of Mr. Hutchinson’s tenets against Berington,” 1751. 11. “The scripture meaning of Elohim and Berith,”‘ 1751. 12. “Micah v. ’2. and Matthew ii. 6. reconciled, with some remarks on Dr. Hunt’s Latin writings.” 13. “The blessing of Judah by Jacob considered; and the era of Daniel’s weeks ascertained, in two dissertations,” 1753, 8vo. 14. “An Inquiry into the original Similitudes, &c. in the Old and New Testament,” &c. no date, but about 1754. 15. “The integrity of the Hebrew text, and many passages of Scripture vindicated from the objections and misconstructions of Mr. Kennicott,” 1755, 8vo. 16. “A reply to Dr. Sharp’s review and defence of his dissertations on the scripture meaning of Berith. With an appendix in answer to the doctor’s discourse on Cherubim, part I.” 1755, and a second part in 1756, 8vo. 17. “Remarks upon Dr. Benson’s sermon on the gospel method of Justification,” 1758, 8vo. 18. “Critica Hebraea, or a Hebrew-English Dictionary without points,” 1767, 4to, his greatest effort in favour of Hutchinsonian divinity, philosophy, and criticism. After his death was published, “A new and literal translation from the original Hebrew of the pentateuch of Moses, and of the historical books of the Old Testament, to the end of the second book of Kings, with notes critical and explanatory,” 1773, 4to. ¹