Thomas Young (c. 1587–1655) was a
Scottish Presbyterian
Presbyterianism is a part of the Reformed tradition within Protestantism that broke from the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland by John Knox, who was a priest at St. Giles Cathedral (Church of Scotland). Presbyterian churches derive their nam ...
minister and theologian, resident in England and a member of the
Westminster Assembly
The Westminster Assembly of Divines was a council of divines (theologians) and members of the English Parliament appointed from 1643 to 1653 to restructure the Church of England. Several Scots also attended, and the Assembly's work was adopt ...
. He was the major author of the
Smectymnuus
Smectymnuus was the ''nom de plume'' of a group of Puritan clergymen active in England in 1641. It comprised four leading English churchmen, and one Scottish minister ( Thomas Young). They went on to provide leadership for the anti-episcopal forces ...
group of leading
Puritan
The Puritans were English Protestants in the 16th and 17th centuries who sought to purify the Church of England of Roman Catholic practices, maintaining that the Church of England had not been fully reformed and should become more Protestant. ...
churchmen. He was also Master of
Jesus College, Cambridge
Jesus College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. The college's full name is The College of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Saint John the Evangelist and the glorious Virgin Saint Radegund, near Cambridge. Its common name comes fr ...
, and is known as the tutor to
John Milton from the age of about ten.
Life
He was born in
Perthshire, his father William Young being a vicar. He studied at
St Andrews University
(Aien aristeuein)
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Ancient university
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, graduating M.A. in 1606. He then moved south to England.
In London, from before 1612, he worked as a teaching assistant to
Thomas Gataker
Thomas Gataker (* London, 4 September 1574 – † Cambridge, 27 June 1654) was an English clergyman and theologian.
Life
He was born in London, the son of Thomas Gatacre. He was educated at St John's College, Cambridge. From 1601 to 1611 he h ...
. He tutored Milton, possibly from 1618 to 1620 or 1622, and continued to correspond with him. He then took a position in
Hamburg
(male), (female) en, Hamburger(s),
Hamburgian(s)
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, as minister to English merchants there, returning to England in 1628 and becoming vicar at
Stowmarket
Stowmarket ( ) is a market town in Suffolk, England,OS Explorer map 211: Bury St.Edmunds and Stowmarket
Scale: 1:25 000. Publisher:Ordnance Survey – Southampton A2 edition. Publishing Date:2008. on the busy A14 trunk road between Bury St Edm ...
.
He was the primary author of the pamphlet ''An Answer'' signed Smectymnuus, an answer to an anonymous publication defending
episcopacy
A bishop is an ordained clergy member who is entrusted with a position of authority and oversight in a religious institution.
In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance of dioceses. The role or office of bishop is ca ...
and in fact written by
Joseph Hall. It sparked off several more publications.
He became a Westminster Assembly member in 1643, and Master of Jesus College in 1644. He was expelled as Master in 1650.
Between 1628 and 1655 Young was vicar at the
church of St Peter and St Mary in Stowmarket and his portrait hangs on the south wall of the church nave.
[Paine, C. ''St Peter and St Mary's Church, Stowmarket'', Official Church Guide, St Peter and St Mary's Church, Stowmarket]
Works
*''Dies Dominica'' (1639)
*''Hope's Incouragement pointed at'' (1644)
*''Smectymnuus Redivivus'' (1669)
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Young, Thomas
1587 births
1655 deaths
Westminster Divines
Masters of Jesus College, Cambridge
Alumni of the University of St Andrews
Scottish Calvinist and Reformed theologians
17th-century Calvinist and Reformed theologians
17th-century Scottish writers