age. As of Job, (Jam. v. 26.) so it may well be said of him in after-times, Have you not heard of the patience of Whitaker? How illustrious did the grace of God make this saint of GOD! How glorious was God himself in the grace which was given to this saint, by which he stood so invincibly in his sharp encounters!"

THOMAS GATAKER, B.D.

THOMAS GATAKER, properly GATACRE, was descended of the ancient family of Gatacre, of Gatacrehall, in Shropshire, which enjoyed the same estate and mansion, in an uninterrupted succession, from the time of King Edward the Confessor. His father, Mr. Thomas Gataker, being a younger son of his father William Gatacre, was bred to the law; and, while a student in the Temple, he frequently visited some relations then in high place and power, by which means he was sometimes present at the examinations and severe treatment of those who suffered persecution for righteousness' sake; and observing their meekness and patience, and with what evidence of truth and resolution of mind they maintained faith and a good conscience, he was led to seek their GOD and their happiness. His parents perceiving the change, sent him to Louvain in Flanders, and, in order effectually to win him back to the popish persuasion, settled upon him an estate in lease of an hundred pounds a-year; but, like St. Paul, he counted all outward advantages nothing in comparison of the knowledge of Jesus Christ: Which, when his father understood, he recalled him, and in great anger revoked his own voluntary grant; and although the son had it in his power to retain it, yet having learned that excellent lesson of selfdenial, and forsaking all to follow Christ, he readily gave up that which had only been the bait for his apostacy. GOD, who hath said, When father and mother forsake thee, I will take thee up, (Psalm xxvii. 10.) raised him friends, by whose advice and support he pursued his studies at Oxford till he was of a proper age, and judged duly qualified to enter into holy orders. He was then appointed domestic chaplain to Robert, Earl of Leicester, and soon after inducted into the benefice of St. Edmund's,

Edmund's, in Lombard Street, London: Where, having married Margaret Piget, a young lady of a worthy family in Hertfordshire, he had, besides other children, Thomas, the subject of the following memoirs, who was born the fourth of September, in the year 1574.

Both in childhood and youth, he shewed great eagerness for learning, and through all the exercises of the grammar schools, he overcame the difficulties which that age, destitute of many helps enjoyed in later times, had to struggle with, and outstripped many that ran in the same course; so that what Gregory Nazianzen said of the great Basil, might be averred of him, that he held 'forth learning beyond his age, and sedateness of man'ners more considerable than his learning. At sixteen years of age, his father entered him into St. John's college, in Cambridge, and about three years afterwards deceased, (in 1593) who, though he left him not wholly destitute, yet not sufficiently provided long to continue his studies there. But GoD (who hath engaged his truth and mercy to the upright, and also to their seed, Psalm cxii. 1, 2.) provided means for him, having, in his purpose and grace, designed him to be an instrument of great service to his church. Thus the fruit was not nipped in its promising bud, by the frost of want. He was soon chosen scholar of St. John's, not merely from favour, but merit, upon proof of his genius and learning; and here he continued his studies with unwearied diligence and happy success, till, with a proficiency answerable to his degree, he proceeded master of arts with uncommon applause. His constantly attending upon the Greek lectures of the very learned Mr. J. Bois, who delivered them in bed to certain young students, who preferred antelucana studia to their rest and ease, is a specimen of his industry at college. The notes of these prelections he kept as a treasure, and being visited by Mr. Bois many years after, he produced them, to the no small joy of the old man, who professed himself to be made some years younger by that entertainment. About this time commenced that close friendship between our Author and that faithful minister Mr. Stock, which continued till the death of the latter, as appears by the testimony given him at his funeral. The foundation of Sydney college being laid about this time, our Author's learning and piety received a particular attestation from the trustees of the foundress's will, Archbishop Whitgift and Dr. Goodman, Dean

of

of Westminster, who, in virtue of their trust, appointed Mr. Gataker a fellow of that society, before the building was finished. This college was founded by Frances, Countess of Sussex, and sister to Sir Henry Sydney, Deputy of Ireland, whence it is called Sydney-Sussex College. The first stone was laid May 20, 1596, and the whole fabric was finished in three years. Fuller's History of Cambridge.

In the interim he went into Essex, as tutor to the eldest son of Mr. afterwards Sir William Ayloff of Berksted, who himself learned Hebrew of him at the same time. During his residence here, at the request of Mrs. Ayloff, he usually expounded a portion of Scripture to the family every morning, wherein, after rendering the text into English from the original language, he explained the sense of it, and concluded with some useful observations. This exercise was a very suitable preparation for holy orders, and it was not long before he became, by that qualification, an authorised teacher: Dr. Stern, then suffragan Bishop of Colchester, being nearly related to the mistress of the family, happened in a visit to be present at one of these performances, and being struck with admiration, instantly exhorted the expounder to enter into the priesthood, and offered him his assistance to that end. This advice being seconded by the Rev. Mr. Alvey, formerly his tutor, and pushed by the reiterated solicitations of the bishop, at length prevailed, and Mr. Gataker was ordained by that suffragan. It may be added, that in the space of two years he went through all the prophets in the Old Testament, and all the apostolical epistles in the New; and when the bishop heard him, he was upon the first chapter of St. Paul's Epistle to the Ephesians. This step was conformable to the statutes of his new college, and as soon as the building was finished, about the year 1599, he betook himself, as his duty required, to the station assigned him there, and became an eminent tutor. At the same time, he engaged in a design then set on foot, of preaching in such places adjacent to the university as were destitute of able ministers. In performing this engagement, he preached every Sunday at Everton, a village upon the borders of Cambridgeshire, Bedford, and Huntingdon, the vicar of which parish was said to be one hundred and thirty years old. He had not executed this charitable office above six months, when he grew uneasy in the university, and following the advice of

Mr.

Mr. Ashton, formerly another of his tutors, he went to London, and resided as chaplain in the family of Sir William Cook, at Charing-cross, to whose lady he was nearly related in blood. This situation made him known to several persons of rank and fortune, and among others, to some principal members of Lincoln's Inn; where the preacher's place becoming vacant, those gentlemen offered him their assistance to obtain it, alleging it might be easily compassed by the interest of Lord Chief Justice Popham, who they knew had a great respect for Mr. Gataker, as well on his own account as that of his father, who had been his Lordship's intimate friend and contemporary in the study of the law. But all importunities availed nothing, till Dr. Montague, master of Sydney college, going on some occasion to London, became acquainted with the proposal, and was so much pleased at hearing it, that he laid aside the thoughts he had of inviting Mr. Gataker back to college to read an Hebrew lecture, which had a salary annexed to it by Lord Harrington; pressed him with arguments and authority; encouraged him against his own diffidence; and gained him at last to consent that Lord Popham should recommend him to the society, without any suit made by himself. He was then about twenty-six years of age, young indeed, and younger in appearance, insomuch that, a little before, preaching in Sir William Cook's parish church of St. Martin's in the fields, it happened that Mr. Ley, afterwards Earl of Marlborough, and Lord Treasurer, being present with his lady, she, on their return home, asked an old servant who attended them to church, How he liked the preacher? Why, truly (says the fellow) he's a pretty pert boy, but he made a reasonable good sermon.' Not many weeks after, Mr. Ley returning from Lincoln's Inn, says to his wife, I will tell you some news, that young man whom you heard at St. Martin's, is chosen lecturer at Lincoln's Inn.' This being heard by the old servant who stood by, what, (says he) will the benchers be taught by such a boy as he?"

Thus he became preacher at Lincoln's Inn about the year 1601, where he thought it his duty to reside during term time, when he was obliged to attend the chapel; but in the vacations he went down to Sir William Cook's seat at Northamptonshire, and constantly preached there, either in their private chapel or the parish church. This kindness did not pass unrewarded by that religious pair, who afterwards, in consideration of these pains freely

taken,

taken, settled upon Mr. Gataker an annuity of twenty pounds a-year; which, however, after some years he remitted to the heir of that family, forbearing to insist upon the right he had, and forbidding his executors to claim any arrears thereof.

In 1603, he commenced bachelor of divinity, and was afterwards often solicited to proceed to that of doctor of divinity; but he declined it. He did not at all approve of pluralities, and upon that principle, refused a considerable benefice in Kent, which was offered him by Sir William Sedley, while he held this place at Lincoln's Inn. But having entered into matrimony in 1611, he quitted that place for the rectory of Rotherhithe in Surrey. Yet he yielded to the acceptance of this living only in the view of keeping it out of the hands of a very unworthy person. Sir Henry Hobart, then Attorney-general, and Sir Randolph Crew, then King's Serjeant, afterwards Lord Chief Justice, were his friends on this occasion, both of Lincoln's Inn But the report of his removal was no welcome news to that society, some of whom, in order to keep him there, offered an enlargement of his maintenance; and others represented the consistence of holding both places, by the help of an assistant. These were motives to become a pluralist, which, therefore, had no weight with him; and though he was afflicted with almost perpetual head-ache, yet he constantly discharged the duties of this parish. This was the more extraordinary, as the salary of Lincoln's Inn was at first but forty pounds a-year, and never exceeded sixty. It is worth notice, that the change of the lecture for Sundays from seven o'clock in the morning to the usual hour of morning service, was occasioned by one of Mr. Gataker's sermons, wherein he observed, that it was as lawful for the husbandman to follow his tillage, as for counsellors to confer with their clients, and give advice upon that day; and the Wednesday's lecture was also transferred, at the same time, to Sunday in the afternoon. He had been troubled with the head-ache from his youth, so that it was become habitual to him, and thence perhaps less inconveniently felt. It is certain it did not hinder him from reaping the fruits of his genius; which, by a continual application from his youth, was not less habitual to him. Of this he gave a specimen in two letters to Archbishop Usher, from Rotherhithe, in 1616 and 1617, concerning some curious manuscripts of the famous

Robert