The publication of the fiist edition of this work drevr
Mr. Gataker into a public controversy, which continued many
years. A very warm writer, who had been misled by com-



T. GATAKER, Juw. 207

mon report, tendered what he took to be a refutation of his
doctrine, to those who were then intrusted with the hcensing of
the press. But his performance, being written with greater
appearance of anger than argument, was stopped ; which the
passionate writer considered as an additional injury, and of
which he so loudly complained, that our author, who onlj
sought the investigation of truth, generously interposed, and
opened the way as well for his adversary as for himself.
He was, indeed, convinced that he could not better defend
Jiis own character and sentiments against evil reports, than bj
affording his virulent adversary the fairest opportunity. He
did not, however, treat him with total silence. After the
publication of his opponent's angry piece, he employed his
pen in a most learned refutation of his arguments and objec-
tions, in a work entitled, " A just Defence of certain Pas-
sages in a former Treatise concerning the Nature and Use of
Lots, agamst such exceptions and oppositions as have been
made thereunto by !Mr. J. J3. i. c. John Balmford, wherein
the insufficiency of his Answers given to the Arguments
brought in defence of a Lusorious Lot is manifested ; the
imbecility of his Arguments produced against the same further
discovered ; and the point in controversy more fully cleared,"
1623.

About twelve years after, ISIr. Gataker had to contend witk
more learned opponents, and he found himself under the
necessity of publisliing a defence of his sentiments in Latin,
against two very learned men who had written on the same
subject. His treatise is entitled, " Thomae Gatakeri Lon-
dinatis Antithesis partim Gulielmi Amesii partim Gisberti
Vaetii de sorfe Thesibus reposita," l637- In this performance
he discovered, as in all the productions of his pen, his great
piety, modesty, and erudition.*

Mr. Gataker, in the year 1620, made a tour into the Low
Countries, which gave him a very favourable impression of
the protestaniism of the Dutch, and doubtlessly inclined him
to the religious moderation by which he was characterized.
While he gave much satisfaction to the protestants, by his
preaching to the English church at Middleburg, he excited
the warm displeasure of the catholics, by disputing v. ith great
freedom and boldness against the ablest of their priests.
Though he might not convert them, he certainly confounded
them, which occasioned their great resentment. His mother,
therefore, knowing his fei-vent zeal in tlie cause of truth, and

* Biog. Britan, vol. iv. p. 2160—2365.



208 LIVES OF THE PURITANS.

the provocation his viorks had ah'eady given, had certainly
Bome cause to apprehend his danger from a party never
famous for their moderation. Upon his return he applied
himself, with his former assiduity, to his beloved studies and
the duties of his charge. He also addressed a letter to his
learned and pious friend Usher, now preferred to a bishopric, in
which he gives a very affecting description of the state of the
foreign protestants. In this letter, dated from Rotherhithe,
September 29, 1621, he expresses himself as follows:

" My duty to your lordship remembered. This messenger
so fitly offering himself to me, I could not but in a line or
two salute your lordship, and therefore signify my continued
and deserved remembrance of you, and hearty desire of your
welfare. By this time I presume your lordship is settled m
your weighty charge of oversight, wherein 1 beseech the
Lord in mercy to bless your labours and endeavours, to the
glory of his own name and the good of his church, never
more oppressed and opposed by mighty and malicious adver-
saries, both at home and abroad; never in foreign parts
generally more distracted and distressed than at present. Out
of France there is daily news of murders and massacres,
cities and town taken, and all sorts put to the sword. Nor
are those few that stand out likely to hold long against the
power of so great a prince, having no succours from without.
In the Palatinate likewise all is reported to go to ruin. Nor do
the Hollanders sit, for ought I see, any surer; for that the coals
that have been heretofore kindled against them about trans-
portation of coin, and the fine imposed for it, the quarrels
of the East Indies, and the command of die narrow seas,
the interrupling of the trade into Flanders, &.c. are daily
more and moie blown up, and fire bcginneth to break out,
which I pray God may not burn up both them and us.

" I doubt not, woithy sir, but you see as well, yea much
belter I suppose, than myself and many others, being able
further to pierce into the state of the times, and the conse-
quences of these things, what need the forlorn flock of Christ
hath of hearts and hands to help to repair her ruins ; and to
fence that part of the fold that as yet is not so openly broken
down, against the incursions of such ravenous wolves, as,
having prevailed so freely against the other parts, will not in
likelihood leave it also unassaulted : as also what need she
hath, if ever, of prayers and tears (her ancient principal
armour) unto Him who hath the hearts and hands of all men
in his hand, and whose help (our only hope as things novr
stand) is oftentimes then most present when all human helps



T. GATAKER, Jux. 209

and hopes do fail. But these lament-able occurrences carry
me farther than I had purposed when I put my pen to paper.
I shall be right glad to hear of your lordsiiip's health and
welfare, which the Lord vouchsafe to continue ; gladder to
see the remainder of your former learned and laborious work
abroad. The Lord bless and protect you. And thus ready
to do your lordship any service I may in these parts, I
rest, &:c."»

Mr. Gataker had not yet finished all his writings on points
of controversy. His zeal and courage in the cause of pro-
testantism engaged him to enter the list of disputants against
the popish party. Observing that the papists laboured to
prove the doctrine of transubstantiation to be agreeable to
the holy scriptures, he resolved to shew, in the most con-
vincing manner, the absurdity and impossibility of their
attempts; and, having driven them from this, which was
their strongest post, he prosecuted his attack, and forced
his opponents to quit every other refuge. This he did in his
work entitled " Transubstantiation declared by the Popish
Writers to have no necessary Foundation in God's Word,"
1624. He also published a " Defence" of this work. His
learned performances in this controversy proved a great and
seasonable service to the cause of protestants, and very
deservedly rendered him conspicuous in the eyes of the most
worthy persons of those times, who admired his erudition and
his fortitude as much as his humility and his readiness to
serve the church of Christ.t

In the year 1640, he vi'as deeply engaged in the controversy
about justification, which greatly increased his reputation.
In 1643, he was chosen one of the assembly of divines, and
constantly attended during the session. His endeavours in
this learned synod, for promoting truth and suppressing
error, were equally strenuous and sincere ; yet his study of
peace was so remarkable, that when his reason concerning
Christ's obedience in order to our justification, could not
obtain the majority of that assembly, by whom the question
was determined contrary to his sense, his peaceable and pious
spirit caused him to keep silence, and hindered him from
publishing the discourses which he had designed to publish
on that subject. In the year 1644, he was chosen one of the
committee for the examination of ministers. He was re-
peatedly urged to take his doctor's degree, but he always

♦ Parr's Life af Usher, p. 76. + Biog. Britan. Tol. ir. p. 2164,

VOL. III. P



210 LIVES OF THE PURITANS.

refused : and when he was oflfered the mastership of Trinity
college, Cambridge, by the Earl of Manchester, he declined
the honourable preferment.*

Mr. Gataker, content with his own pastoral charge, was
more ambitious of doing good to others than of exaltmg him-
self; he thertfoie assiduously applied himself in those tur-
bulent times to his ancient studies, which could give offence
to no party, and which might entitle him to the gratitude and
approbation of all the friends of good literature. Wilh this
object in view he published his judicious and laborious dis-
course on the name by which God made himself known to
Moses and the people of Israel. In this performance he
shewed himself a very great master of Hebrew ; and the
work was so well received by all competent judges, that it
has been often reprinted. This very profound, curious, and
instructive treatise is entitled, " De nomine Tetragrammato
Dissertatio, qua vocis Jehovah apud nostros receptas usus
defenditur, &. a quorundam cavillationibus iniquis paritcr
atque inanibus vindicatur," 1G45. The work was reprinted in
1652 ; it is also inserted amongst his " Opera Critica;" and it
found a place among the ten Discourses upon this subject,
collected and published by Hadrian Reland, the first five of
which were written by John Drusius, Sextinus xlmama,
Lewis Capel, John Buxtorff, and James Althig, who opposed
the received usage, which is defended in the other five disser-
tations, tlie first of which was written by Nicholas Fuller, the
second by our author, and the three others by John Leusden.

This celebrated scholar, by his continual application to the
study of the best Greek authors, his wonderful memory, his
uncommon penetration, and his accurate judgment, was
enabled to look into the very principles and elements of that
copious, elegant, and expressive language. This might seem
beneath the attention of so great a man ; but he resolved to
vindicate these inquiries, and to shew how much a thorough
knowledge of grammatical learning contributes to the im-
provement of science. He was aware that the singularities
of his opinion might lessen his reputation, if they were not
clearly and fully established. He knew that they did not
spring either from a naked imagination, or an affectation of
opposing common opinions ; but were in reality the produce
of much reading and reflection, and they had, at least to liim-
self, the appearance of certain, though not vulgar truths. It

* Clark's Lives, p. 152 — 155.



T. GATAKER, JuN. 211

was from these motives, therefore, that he ventured to pub-
lish a work which wouid scarcely have been noticed fiom any
other hand, but winch, from its own merit, and the respect
due to Its author's skill, especially in Greek literature, was
very well received, and highly coniniended,by able and candid
judges. Ihis learned and critical woik is enlided, " De
Diphthongis sive Bivocalibus Dissertatio Philologica, in qua
Literarnm quarundam sonus germanus natura genuina figura
nova et scriptura vetus veraque investigatur," 10"46. This is
also printed amongst his " ()pera Critica." The point which
he endeavours to establish is, that there are in reality no
diphthongs, and that it is impossible two vowels should be so
blended together as to enter into one syllable. This, as we
have observed, was one of our author's singularities. We
shall not enter into this controversy, nor attempt to decide
whether he was right or wrong in his views of orthography.*

^Notwithstanding Mr. Gataker's assiduous application to
these deep and critical studies, he paid the most exact attend-
ance to his pastoral duties, and to the assembly of divines.
In obedience to their appointment, he wrote the annotations
upon Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Lamentations, published in the
Assembly's Annotations on the Bible.t Though he was a
divine most distinguished for moderation, he disapproved
of many things in the national church, but would have been
satisfied w ith moderate episcopacy. He was of opinion, that
bishops and presbyters, according to the New Testament,
were the same. He was always opposed to the great power
and splendour of the prelates ; and concluded, that they
ought to be divested of their pompous titles and their seats
in parliament. t He differed more than once with the very
learned Dr. Lightfoot, in their meetings at the assembly; and
though they sometimes debated w armly, they never lost their
tempers, or indulged any rancour on account of these disputes.

As our divine advanced in years, his incessant labours, both
of body and mind, brought upon him those infirmities w hich
slackened his speed, but did not wholly stop the progress of
bis studies. For even under these infirmities, and w hen con-
fined to his chamber by the direction of his physicians, he
was continually employed in his beloved contemplations.

* Biotr. Brifan. vol. iv. p. 2165.

+ This useful work is improperly ascribed to the a?seml)ly of divines, ,
but was undertaken by certain divines appointed by the parliament, part/
of whom were members of the assembly. Kach person had his portion o^
scripture appointed him by those who set him on work. Si^veral of them
were celebrated puritans, as the reader will find noticed in this work,

t Clark's Lives, p. 256, 257.



212 LIVES OF THE PURITANS.

But when, through the excellency of his constitution, his
temperate manner of living, and the skilful efforts of the
faculty, he recovered a moderate share of health, he betook
himself again to the duties of his ministry ; but was after-
wards under the necessity of declining the exercises of the
pulpit, though he continued to administer the sacraments,
and to deliver short discourses at funerals. The chief part
of his time was now employed in study, and in composing
several learned works. He employed his learning, his zeal,
and his moderation in the antinomian controversy, by pub-
lishing a work, entitled, " A Mistake or Misconstruction
removed, (whereby little difference is pretended to have been
acknowledged between the antinomians and us,) and Free
Grace, as it is held forth in God's Word, as well by the
Prophets in the Old Testament, as by the Apostles and
Christ himself in the New, shewed to be other than is by the
Antinomian Party in these times maintained. In way of
Answer to some Passages in a Treatise of Mr. John Salt-
marsh, concerning that subject," 1646. This is written in
answer to Mr. Saltmarsh's " Free Grace, or the Flowings of
Christ's Blood freely to Sinners ; being an Experiment of
Jesus Christ upon one who hath been in Bondage of a
troubled Spirit at times for twelve years," 1645. Mr. Gata-
ker in his work observes, " That it seems a thing mucli to be
feared, that this course, which I see some effect, and many
people are much taken with, of extracting divinity in a kind
of chymical way, even chimerical conceits, will, if it hold on,
as much corrupt the simplicity of the gospel, and the doctrine
of faith, as ever the quirks and quillets of the old schoolmen
did." During the same year he published " Shadows with-
out Sul)stance, in the pretended New Lights," in answer to
Saltmarsh's " Shadows flying away." Also his " Mysterious
Clouds and Mists," in answer to Mr. J. Simpson.

Mr. Gataker soon after published his discourse on the
style of the New Testament, in which he opposed the senti-
ments of Pfochenius, who maintained that there were no
Hebraisms in those sacred writings, which he endeavoured to
prove as well by authorities as arguments. All this our
author undertook to overthrow, which, in the opinion of the
best critics, he most effectually accomplished ; and more than
this, he so clearly and concisely explained the true meaning
of many texts in the Old as well as the New Testament;
corrected such a variety of passages in ancient authors ; and
discovered such a consummate skill in both the living and
dead languages, as very justly gained him the character of



T. GATAKER, Juv. 213

one of the ablest philologists of the age. His work in
entitled, " Thomce Gatakeri Londinatis de Novi Testament!
atylo Dissertatio : qua viri doctissimi Sebastiani Pfocheuii de
Linguce Grsecae Novi Testamenti puritate, in qua Hebraisniia
quae vulga finguntur quam plurimis larva detrahi dicitiir
diatribe ad examen revocatur ; Scriptorumque qua sacrorum
qua profanorum loca aliquam niulta obiter explicantur atque
illustrantur. Cum indicibus necessariis." 1648.

The author tells us, in the first chapter of his Dissertation,
that, meeting with the treatise of Sebastian Pfochenius, a
German divine, published in 1629, he read it with great
attention, and found it very weighty in matter, and abimdantly
full of good literature. Notwithstanding this, he found many
of the author's sentiments repugnant to his own, and in his
judgment not agreeable to truth. He saw likewise that manj
learned and great men were censured without cause, and
sometimes represented as speaking a language very different
irom what he took to be their real sentiments. These
observations induced him to examine a multitude of questions
started in that treatise, or that which naturally flowed from
them, in which he shews his candour to be every way equal
to his skill in criticism. He does not use harsh expressions
or hard names, but contents himsulf with discovering mistakes,
and shewing the grounds of them. In following this method,
he opens a lield of very curious and instructive learning, and
shews such quickness of penetration, such soundness of
judgment, and such compass of reading, as are truly
admirable. He begins by refuting a principle that Pfochenius
had assumed, viz. that the Greek, Latin, German, &c. are
original tongues; whereas, in Mr. Gataker's opinion, it is
very difficult to know which are original, but with repect to
the Latin he maintains that it is not. He shews from the
authority, both of ancient and modern writers, that it was a
compound of several languages spoken by the Sabines,
Oscans, and other old inhabitants of Italy, but more especially
of Greek ; and to demonstrate this more effectually, he takes
the first five lines of Virgil, one of the purest and most
elegant of the Latin poets, and proves that there is scarcely
a smgle word in them which is not derived from the Greek.
Thus he saps the very foundation of Pfochenius's system, by
making it evident, that there can be no assurance of the purity
of any language, in the sense in which he understands it.

In the fifth chapter he states Pfochenius's thiee principal
questions, first, whether the text of the New Testament be
truly Greek, or not different from tliat used by profane



214 LIVES OF THE PURITANS.

authors. Next, whether if Homer, Pindar, Plato, Demos-
thenes, &.c. \vere to rise from the dead, they would be able to
understand the New Testament? And lastly, by what name
the language of that book is to be called, whether Graecanic,
Hellenistic, or Griecian ? Our author observes, that the last
question is merely a dispute about words, with which he will
have nothing to do. On the other two questions lie gives
his opinion })lainly, and without reserve. When it is alleged
in proof of the first, that the phiases used by the writers of the
New Testament are likewise used by profane auihors, he
denies that this is conclusive ; " for," says he, " who that has
any taste of the purity of the Latin tongue, will allow that it
is to be found in scholastic wrilings, nolwithstauding that the
words, and even the phrases in which Cicero, Sallust, Livy,
Terence, &c. -.vrote, are here and there found in them ?" He
adds further, that those who do not see that though the sacred
writers used the same words, and even the same phrases,
that are to be found in profane authors in another manner
than they do, and to convey a different sense, must not only
be said to see indifferently and obscurely, but that they
willingly shut their eyes. He then produces many Latin
words used by the sacred writers, though written in Greek
characters, or disguised with Greek terminations. He also
produces Hebrew and Syriac woids to the same purpose;
and from hence he concludes, that thougli Pfochenius could
really shew, which however he undertakes to prove that he
has not done, that the sacred writers make use of a multitude
of phrases to be met with in profane authors, yet this would
not amount to \^hat he has asserted, if the former have also
used many words and phrases which are not to be met with
m authors who are allowed to write pure Greek.

As to the second question, he tells Pfochenius, that it can
be granted or denied him only in part. ISotwithstanding
some places might in a iiRasure be understood by those great
men whom he mentions, if it w ere possible for them to come
from the dead ; yet this would but go a little way towards
proving what he has asserted ; because, though they might
understand some parts, yet others they could not understand.
He puts a parallel case in reference to the writings of
Apuleius, which, says he, if Cicero were to rise from the
dead, he might for the most part understand ; but would any
competent judge conclude from thence, that the Latin of
Apuleius resembles that of I'ully, or of the age in which
TuUy wrote .'' But, says Pfochenius, Paul conversed with the
Greeks of his time, and was he not understood by them .'' and



T. GATAKER, Jun. S15

if by them, why not by the ancients ? *^ I could readily
grant you that," says our divine, " and yet deny liie conse-
quence that you would draw fiom it. P'or the Greek lan-
guage itself was much declined, in the time of the aj)o.siles,
by the admission of a multuude of exotic words and phrases
borrowed from the Italiiuis, Sicilians, Cyrenians, and Cai tha-
genians, partly from their being under the same goveruinent,
and partly from their commercial intercourse with those
nations. But, after all," says he, " if Demosthenes could
live again, it is most likely he would tind many obstacles in
reading Paul's writings, and would object to many of ilie
words and phrases." He then qi\otes a long passage from
Beza's Annotations on the Acts of the Apostles, in which that
learned commentator shews the reasons n hy the apostles were
not studious about their style, but endeavoured to make them-
selves understood by those with whom they conversed, raiher
than to render their discourses elegant from their pure and
correct language.

In the same manner he proceeds through the rest of his
treatise, in which he explains, as they occur, a multitude of
passages in sacred and profane authors, correcting some and
commending other critics who have gone before ; but vt ith so
much mildness and moderation, \\ith such apparent can-
dour and respect to truth above all things, that it is impossible
for the reader not to admire his excellent temper, while he
ruins the reputation of the contrary party. In the forty-
fourth chapter, Mr. Gataker gives a recapitulation of the whole
dispute between him and Pfochenius, and observes, that the
true state of the question is, whether the style of the New
Testament in Greek is every where the same with that m hich
■was used by the ancient writers, at the time when the lan-
guage was in its greatest purity : Or, whether it is not such
as frequently admits of Hebraisms and Syriasms ? Pfochenius
affirms the former, and denies the latter ; while our learned
critic maintains the opposite sentiments. iSIr. Gataker con-
cludes by observing, that, notwithstanding all that Pfochenius
has urged, he does not doubt that nearly six hundred phrases
might be produced from the New Testament, and a much
greater number from the Greek version of the Old Testa-
ment, the purity of which Pfochenius seems tacitly to main-
tain, in which there are plain characters of the Hebrew or
the Syriac tongues, and not the least resemblance of the
ancient Greek, so far as men of the greatest labour and erudition
have hitherto discovered.* The venerable primate of Ireland,

• Biog. Britan. vol. iv. p. 2167—2169.



216 LIVES OF THE PURITANS.

than whom there could not be a better judge, shewed his great
respect both for our author and his performance, by sendnig
it with his own Annals as a present to Dr. Arnold Boate,
then residing at Paris.*

Though this literary production was a very considerable
work, and greatly increased the author's reputation, it was,
indeed, no more than a specimen of a much lasgtr work, in
which he had been employed for many years. He at first
intended his discourse against Pfochenius only as an appendix
to this celebrated performance ; but that treatise being ready
for the press, and it being very doubtful whether he should iive