The Whole Works of the Rev. William Bates, vol. 3
Overview
Educated at the University of Cambridge as well as its constituent, Emmanuel College, Reverend William Bates was a distinguished and popular 17th century preacher. Logos is proud to offer The Whole Works of the Rev. William Bates from this important contemporary of such Puritan stalwarts as Richard Baxter and John Howe.
William Bates' work was published in 1700—the year after his death—by Aylmer and Robinson. The title for that initial collection was The Works of the Late Reverend and Learned William Bates D.D. and it included two previously unpublished works, On Divine Meditation and On the Fear of God. A second edition of the work was published in 1723 with an addition of Bates' The Everlasting Rest of the Saints in Heaven. All of Bates' works were arranged and revised in 1815.
- Sermons preached by William Bates
- All Scripture references are linked to the Bibles in your library
- The Everlasting Rest of the Saints in Heaven
- On Divine Meditation
- On the Fear of God
- The Last Four Things
- Spiritual Perfection Unfolded and Enforced
Top Highlights
“Meditation, is the serious exercise of the understanding, whereby our thoughts are fixed on the observation of spiritual things in order to practice.” (Page 115)
“A christian should labour to see all things in God, and God in all things. Every stream should lead him to the fountain.” (Page 117)
“As it will dispose the soul for praise, so for thanksgiving.” (Page 118)
“This will dispose and fit the soul for admiration and praise of God” (Page 118)
“The creatures are but the adumbrations of the infinite majesty that is above. Now will any man content himself with painted meat for food? So wilt thou content thyself with the bare enjoyment of the creature; and not ascend up to God? He hath given thee the creatures upon this account, that they might be instruments to raise up thy soul to himself.” (Pages 117–118)
- Title: The Whole Works of the Rev. William Bates, vol. 3
- Author: William Bates
- Publisher: Robinson, Son and Holdsworth
- Publication Date: 1815
- Pages: 531
William Bates was born in 1625 in London. He studied at Emmanuel College, Cambridge, and in 1644 and went on to study at Queen's College. A Presbyterian minister, Bates was vicar of St. Dunstan's-in-the-West until the passing of the Act of Uniformity 1662 when Bates—along with 2,000 clergymen—left the established Church in what became known as the Great Ejection.
Bates took part in the negotiations for the restoration of Charles II, eventually being appointed one of the royal chaplains. Refusing the urgings to accept the deanery of Lichfield and Coventry, Bates took the oath imposed by the parliament 'that he would not at any time endeavor an alteration in the government of church or state.'
In 1668 Bates worked with more moderate churchmen to try and incorporate the Presbyterians back into the Church of England but no agreement could be reached. After many more unsuccessful attempts at reconciliation, James II ascended to the throne and the persecution of the Nonconformists increased.
In the last years of his life, Bates pastored the Presbyterian church of Hackney. He died there in 1699, at the age of seventy-four. Dubbed the silver-tongued preacher, Bates was considered the politest of the Nonconformists.