GATAKER

gataker, thomas (1574-1654), english divine, was born in london in september 1574, and educated at st john's college, cambridge. from 1601 to 1611 he held the appointment of preacher to the society of lincoln's inn, which he resigned on accepting the rectory of rotherhithe. in 1642 he was chosen a member of the assembly of divines at westminster, and annotated for that assembly the books of isaiah, jeremiah and lamentations. he disapproved of the introduction of the covenant, and declared himself in favour of episcopacy. he was one of the forty-seven london clergymen who disapproved of the trial of charles i. he was married four times, and died in july 1654. his principal works, besides some volumes of sermons are--_on the nature and use of lots_ (1619), a curious treatise which led to his being accused of favouring games of chance; _dissertatio de stylo novi testamenti_ (1648); _cinnus, sive adversaria miscellanea, in quibus sacrae scripturae primo, deinde aliorum scriptorum, locis aliquam multis lux redditur_ (1651), to which was afterwards subjoined _adversaria posthuma_; and his edition of _marcus antoninus_ (1652), which, according to hallam, is the "earliest edition of any classical writer published in england with original annotations," and, for the period at which it was written, possesses remarkable merit. his collected works were published at utrecht in 1698.