T. GAT AKER, Jim. 205 *as, that true religion was as far distant from the one as from the other. He was well acquainted with the arts of hypo- crites, and thought it as necessary to suard against them as to avoid the allurements of open libertines. He understood that souls might be ensnared, as well as seduced ; and that canting words, and a solemn shewof sanctity, might enable presumptuous or self-interested, persons to put a yoke upon the necks of christians; very different from the yoke, of Jesus Christ.. This is certainly a very high character of our learned divine. He was very careful, in the exercises of the pulpit, to preach not only sound, but suitable doctrine, such as might edify any christian congregation ; and was particularly appropriate to the people of his charge. His desire to discharge his duty induced him, among other subjects, to discourse on one both curious and critical, which he applied to common use. This was the nature of LOTS, about which much had been written, and more spoken; from which, in the opinion of the learned Gataker, some very great inconveniencies had arisen. He, therefore, thought, that, by a minute investigation of the sub- ject, it might give his congregation clear and correct views of the nature, use, and abuse of lots, and might prove very beneficial to them. This induced him to handle the matter, as he did all subjects, freely, fully, and fairly ; without sus- pecting, however, that this would oblige him to have recourse to the press, and involve him in a long and troublesome controversy. Some ill-disposed persons reported that he defended dice and cards, with other groundless stories ; which induced him to publish his thoughts on the subject in a small treatise, " in which," says' my author, " it is hard to say whether the accuracy of the method, the conclusiveness of his reasoning, or the prodigious display of learning, de- serves most to be admired." He dedicated his work to Sir Henry Hobart, bart. chief justice of the common-pleas, with all the benchers, barristers, and students of Lincoln's-inn, as a mark of his gratitude and respect for their past fatours. This piece made a great noise in the world, and gained the author great reputation. The title of this learned treatise is, " Of the Nature and Use of Lots, a Treatise Historical and Theological, NI ritten by Thomas Gataker, B. of D. sometime Preacher at Lin- coln's-inn, and now Pastor of Rotherhithe," 1619. In the preface to the judicious and ingenuous reader, he observes, Biog. Lilian. vol. iv. p. 5160.
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