GATAKER, THOMAS, a learned critic and divine,
was born at London in 1574, and studied at St John's
college, Cambridge. He was afterwards chosen preach-
er at Lincoln's Inn; which he quitted in 1611, for the
rectory of Rotherhithe in Surrey. In 1620, he made
a tour through the Low Countries; and in 1624,
published at London a book, entitled, Transubstantiation
declared by the confession of the Popish Writers to
have no necessary foundation in God's Word: he
wrote likewise a defence of this discourse. In 1642,
he was appointed one of the assembly of divines, and
was engaged with them in writing annotations upon
the Bible. He died in July 1654, in the 80th year
of his age. Besides the above works, he published,
1. A Dissertation upon the Style of the New Testa-
ment. 2. De Nomine Tetragrammaton. 3. De Diph-
thongis, five Bivocalibus. 4. An Edition and Transla-
tion of the Emperor Marcus Antoninus's Meditations.
5. A Collection of Sermons, in folio; and many other
works. His piety and charity were very exemplary;
and his modesty so great, that he declined all eccle-
siastical dignity and court preferments. His ex-
tensive learning was admired by Salmasius and other
great men abroad; his house was a private seminary
for young gentlemen of this nation, and many for-
eigners resorted to him to receive advice in their
studies.