Schupp, Johann Balthasar

Schupp, Johann Balthasar, a German pastor and critic, was born at Giessen in 1610. In his fifteenth year he entered the University of Giessen. At first he studied law, then theology. After a long journey among the German universities, he tarried at Rostock (1629-31) and took his master's degree. Then he visited Holland and heard Salmasius and Voss. On his return he acted as professor of history and oratory for ten years at Marburg. In 1643 he added to his duties that of a pastor. Desiring to give himself entirely to the ministry, he accepted the place of court preacher at Braubach in 1646. The landgrave of Hesse-Braubach commissioned him to take part in the negotiation of the Peace of Westphalia (1648). At Munster he had the honor of preaching the first sermon in commemoration of the peace. Here a call came to him to the place of chief pastor of St. James's, Hamburg. Entering upon his duties in 1649, he labored the remaining twelve years of his life with great zeal and popularity. He was thoroughly evangelical, preaching not exclusively Christ for us, but Christ in us, and insisting upon thorough heart conversion. His manner was free and popular, a great contrast to the prevalent scholastic method. His success turned his colleagues into spies and enemies. Bitter calumnies were invented against him. Satirical pamphlets flew on every hand. The magistracy interfered, and imposed silence on both sides. But the violence of the assaults broke down the health of the faithful man. He died in great joy, a truly candida anima, in 1661. Schupp published, Volumen Orationum Solemnium et Panegyricarum (1642): — Traktaten uber Staat, Kirche und Schule; — Morgen- und Abend-Lieder. His collective works were edited by his son (Hanau, 1663), and have had several editions. See In Schuppii Obitum (Francof. 1685); Herzog, Real-Encyklop. 20, 749-755. (J.P.L.)