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 declininkthe 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 much 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 Substance, in the pretended New Lights," in answer to Saltmarsh's " Shadows flying, away." Also ids " Mysterious Clouds and Mists," in answer to Mr. J. ,Simpson. Mr. Gataker soon after published his discourse on the i style of the New Testament, n 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
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