GOCCH (CAPPUPPER), JOHANNES PUPPER da. Moral-ascetical writer, born at the beginning of the 15th century in Goch (Lower Rhine). For many years he directed the Thabor monastery of the Augustinian sisters near Mecheln (Netherlands). Nothing is known of his studies or whether he belonged to a religious Order.
He wrote *De libertate Christiana* (1473); *Epistola apologetica super doctrina doctorum scholasticorum*; *Dialogus de quattuor erroribus circa evangelicam legem exortis*. After his death these writings were published with a preface by the humanist supporter of the Reformers C. Grapaus. His book *In divinae gratiae et Christianae fidei commentationem fragmenta aliquot* was published without place or year by Martin Luther, who in the preface praises the author as «vere Germanus et gnesios theologus».
The Index of Prohibited Books of the Council of Trent lists J. da G. among prohibited writers, doubtless more because of the editors’ prefaces than the author’s doctrine, who wrote as a Catholic. By Protestants he was wrongly included among the “pre-reformers.” He seems only to have defended the idea that vows based on evangelical counsels, though praiseworthy, have no foundation in Holy Scripture.