GOCH, goh, JOHANN VON (Johann Pupper or Capupper): One of the "Reformers before the Reformation"; b. at Goch (43 m. n.w. of Düsseldorf) early in the fifteenth century; d. near Mechlin, Mar. 28, 1475 , or later. He probably received his first education in a school of the Brethren of the Common Life, perhaps in Zwolle. He studied at the University of Cologne, and possibly also in Paris. In 1459 he founded the priory of Thabor for canonesses of St. Augustine, and governed it till his death.

Goch stood on the threshold of the Reformation in so far as he minimized the traditions of the Church and acknowledged as the only authorities the Bible and the Fathers. But in the central point of reformatory dogmatics, in the doctrine of justification, he still stood on the ground of the Middle Ages. He attacked monasticism on the ground that it could not be justified from the Bible, and that it lowered the value of grace, since the monastic vow was considered to lead to true Christian perfection. Against the doctrine of a twofold morality Goch argued that the so-called "counsels" belong to Evangelical law as well as the "precepts," and are to be observed by both the clergy and the laity. By giving due regard to the secular professions, he rose above the one-sided asceticism of the Middle Ages. As an extreme nominalist, Goch rejected all speculation in the sphere of religion, and strongly emphasized the authority of the Church. As a mystic he aimed at a closer and more intimate union with God through love of him and our fellow men. His importance

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for the history of dogma lies in the fact that he belonged to the Augustinian reaction at the end of the Middle Ages which, by a revival of the Augustinian monism of grace, tried to combat the Semi-Pelagianism and Pelagianism of the time and justification by works. His literary works remained long unknown. His chief work, De libertate Christians, which was written in 1473, appeared in print only in 1521. The work which gives his most mature thought is Dialogue de quattuor erroribus circa legem evangelicam exortis, which was printed probably in 1523.

(Otto Clemen.)

Bibliography: O. Clemen, Johann Pupper von Goch, Leipsic, 1896; a very complete treatment will be found in C. Ullmann, Reformers before the Reformation, i. 17-157, where the earlier literature is fully given.