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The Legacy of a Strasbourg Preacher

Melchior Specker’s Vom Leiblichen Todt as an Unknown Source of Basilius Faber’s Tractetlein von den Seelen der verstorbenen
  • Gábor Ittzés EMAIL logo
Published/Copyright: December 3, 2016
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Journal of Early Modern Christianity
From the journal Journal of Early Modern Christianity Volume 3 Issue 2

Abstract

Basilius Faber’s Vnterrichtungen von den letzten Hendeln der Welt (1564) was one of the great publishing successes of the sixteenth century. Starting from the fifth edition (1569), a semi-independent tract was published with it on the departed souls’ immortality and state. That Tractetlein exhibits remarkable parallels with Part 3 of Vom Leiblichen Todt (1560) by Strasbourg theologian Melchior Specker. On the basis of close structural, thematic, and textual analysis it is argued that Faber was indeed heavily relying on Specker’s work, hardly known today. Their connection throws light on Faber’s specific achievement in reworking his source material, can serve as a case study of early modern literary borrowing, and clears the way to further research on the origins of the Lutheran doctrine of individual eschatology in the early confessional age.

Keywords: eschatology; history of doctrine; immortality of soul; literary borrowing; Lutheran theology; sixteenth century; textual analysis; Vnterrichtungen

Acknowledgements

Research for this article was supported by the Bolyai János Research Scholarship of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences.

Appendix

Table 5:

Publication history of Faber’s Vnterrichtungen and Tractetleina.

BradyVnterrichtungenTractetleinPublisherYear
AVD16: ZV 19246Eisleben: Urban Gaubisch1564
BVD16: F 5Eisleben: Urban Gaubisch1565
CEisleben: Urban Gaubisch1567
VD16: ZV 16369bn.p.1567
DVD16: F 6VD16: F 34Leipzig: Ernst Vögelin1569
EVD16: ZV 23365[included]Leipzig: Hans Steinmann & Ernst Vögelin1572
FVD16: F 7VD16: F 35Leipzig: Ernst Vögelin1574
VD16: F 8VD16: F 36Leipzig: Hans Steinmann & Ernst Vögelin1575
VD16: ZV 23366[included]Leipzig: Hans Rambau, Sr.1576
GVD16: F 9VD16: F 37Leipzig: Hans Steinmann1578
IVD16: F 10VD16: F 38Leipzig: Hans Rambau, Sr.1579
HVD16: F 11VD16: F 39Leipzig: Hans Steinmann1579
KVD16: ZV 5661[included]Leipzig: Hans Steinmann1581
LVD16: F 12VD16: F 40Leipzig: Hans Steinmann1582
MVD16: F 13VD16: F 41Leipzig: Johann Beyer1584
VD16: F 14VD16: F 42Leipzig: Zacharias Bärwald1587
NVD16: F 15VD16: F 43Leipzig: Hans Steinmann1587
OVD16: ZV 19060[included]Leipzig: Hans Steinmann, Heirs1590
PVD 16: F 19VD 16: F 47Hamburg: Jakob Wolff, Heirs1591c
QVD16: F 16VD16: F 44Leipzig: Zacharias Bärwald1594
RVD16: F 17VD16: F 45Leipzig: Zacharias Bärwald1596
SVD16: F 18VD16: F 46Leipzig: Bartholomaeus Voigt1596
TVD17: 12:101959P[included]Leipzig: Jakob Popporeich1604
VD17: 23:241213U[included]Stettin: Jeremias Mamphras1663
[2]
Table 6:

Detailed outline of the structure of the immortality chapter in Specker and Faber.

TopicSpecker (Pt. 3)FaberBiblical prooftextsa
Immortality of soulCh. 2Ch. 1
Argument from creationCh. 2[.1], I.Ch. 1 (1)Gen 1[:26], Gen 2[:7], Wis 2[:23], Wis 11 [i. e. 12:1], Wis 15[:10–11]
Argument from redemptionbCh. 2[.1], II.Ch. 1 (2)Jn 3[:16.18], Jn 6[:40]
Argument from God’s judgment and consciencecCh. 2[.1], III.Ch. 1 (3)Jud [14–15], Wis 5[:15]
Argument from specific textsCh. 2[.1], IIII.Ch. 1 (4)Mt 10[:28], Lk 16[:22d], Mt 22[:31–32]=Lk 20[:37–38], Mt 17[:3]=Lk 9[:30–31], Lk 23[:43], Heb 10 [i. e. 12:22–24], Rev 6:9, Rev 20:4–6e
False teachings about the soul’s immortalityfCh. 2[.2, I]
Consequences of such false teachingsgCh. 2[.2, II]
Reasons for this false teachingCh. 2[.2, III]
[3]
Table 7:

Detailed outline of the structure of the “place” chapter in Specker and Faber.

TopicSpecker (Pt. 3)FaberBiblical prooftextsa
Place of the righteous and unrighteous soulsCh. 3Ch. 2
Names of the righteous souls’ placeCh. 3[.1]Ch. 2[.1]
In Old TestamentCh. 3[.1.1]
To the fathersCh. 3[.1.1], I.Ch. 2[.1.1.1a]Gen 15[:15]°, 2 Chron 34[:28]
To their peopleCh. 3[.1.1], II.Ch. 2[.1.1.1b]Gen 25[:8]°, Gen 25[:17], Gen 49[:33], Num 20[:26], Deut 32[:50]
Bundle of those living with the LordCh. 3[.1.1], III.Ch. 2[.1.1] (2)1 Sam 25[:29]
Tent or holy hill of the LordCh. 3[.1.1], IIII.Ps 15[:1], Lk 16[:9], Heb 8[:2]
Land of the livingCh. 3[.1.1], V.Ch. 2[.1.1] (3)Ps 27[:13], Ps 116[:9–10]
ChambersCh. 3[.1.1], VI.Ch. 2[.1.1] (4)Isa 56 [i. e. 57:1–2]°
God’s handCh. 3[.1.1], VII.Ch. 2[.1.1] (5)Ps 31[:5], Ps 3[:5], Ps 4[:8]°, Wis 3[:1–4], Deut [33:3]
From the New TestamentCh. 3[.1.2]Ch. 2[.1.2]
Abraham’s bosomCh. 3[.1.2], I.Ch. 2[.1.2.1]Lk 16[:22]*°
Abraham’s bosom and the community of the angelsCh. 3[.1.2], I.[a]
The Fathers had contradictory opinion concerning Abraham’s bosomCh. 3[.1.2], I.[b]
God’s ParadiseCh. 3[.1.2], II.Ch. 2[.1.2] (2)Lk 32* [i. e. 23:42–43], Rev 2[:7]*, 2 Cor 12[:2–4]*°b
City, heavenly homeland, new JerusalemCh. 3[.1.2], III.Ch. 2[.1.2] (3)Heb 11[:10]*, Heb 11[:13–16]*, Heb 12[:22–24]*
Of the revelation of the heavenly JerusalemCh. 3[.1.2], III.[a]Ch. 2[.1.2] (3)Rev 2 [i. e. 3:12]*, Rev 21[:1–3]*c
The Father’s houseCh. 3[.1.2], IIII.Ch. 2[.1.2] (4)Jn 14[:2–3], 2 Cor 5[:1]
Within the veilCh. 3[.1.2], V.Heb 6[:19–20]
The sanctuaryCh. 3[.1.2], VI.Ch. 2[.1.2] (5)Heb 10[:19–21], Heb 9[:8], Heb 9[:24]
HeavenCh. 3[.1.2], VII.Ch. 2[.1.2] (6)Heb 9[:24], Mt 5[:3]*, Mt 11[:12]*, Mt 23[:13]*, 2 Tim 4[:18], Rev 5[:13]d
The place of the martyrs’ soul under the altarCh. 3[.1.2], VIII.Rev 6[:9]
Names of the unrighteous souls’ and spirits’ placeCh. 3[.2]Ch. 2[.2]
HellCh. 3[.2], I.Ch. 2[.2.1a]Ps 18[:5], Ps 116[:3], Lk 16[:23]°, Rev 1[:18], Rev 6[:8], Rev 20[:13]
Of twofold hellCh. 3[.2], I.[a]Ps 86[:13]
Of twofold hell differentlyCh. 3[.2], I.[b]Wis 17[:14], Mt 11[:23]
Kingdom of hellCh. 3[.2], II.Wis 1[:14–16]
Topheth or GehennaCh. 3[.2], III.Ch. 2[.2.4a]Isa 30[:33]*,e Mt 5[:22]*, Mt 18[:8]*=Mk 9[:43],fMt 23[:15], Mt 23[:33], Mt 10[:28]=Lk 12[:4–5]
Origin of the nameCh. 3[.2], III.[a]
Furnace of fireCh. 3[.2], IIII.Ch. 2[.2.4b]gMt 13[:41–42]
Lake of fireCh. 3[.2], V.Ch. 2[.2.4c]Rev 19[:20]*, Rev 20[:10]*, Rev 21 [i. e. 20:14–15]*
TartarushCh. 3[.2], VI.Ch. 2[.2.2]2 Pt 2[:4]°
Deepest darknessCh. 3[.2], VII.Ch. 2[.2.4d]2 Pt 2[:17]=Jude [13], Wis 17[:20]
Outer darknessCh. 3[.2], VIII.Ch. 2[.2.4e]Mt 8[:12]*=Mt 22[:13]*
Place of anguishCh. 3[.2], IX.Ch. 2[.2.1b]Lk 16[:27–28]*
AbyssCh. 3[.2, X.]Ch. 2[.2.4f]Rev 20[:2–3]*
PrisonCh. 3[.2], XI.Ch. 2[.2.3]1 Pt 3[:19–20]
The papists’ teachingCh. 3[.3]
Christ’s descent to helliCh. 3[.4]
[4]
Table 8:

Detailed outline of the structure of the “means” chapter in Specker and Faber.

TopicSpecker (Pt. 3)FaberBiblical prooftextsa
By what means and how righteous and godless souls come to their placeCh. 5Ch. 4
Righteous souls are taken up...b[Ch. 5.1][Ch. 4.1]
..by the power of Father, Son and Holy Spirit through word and faithCh. 5[.1], ICh. 4[.1] (1)Ps 27[:9–10], 43[:3–4]; Isa 38[:16–17], 46[:4]; Jn 10[:9, 27–30],c 14[:3, 6]; Acts 7[:55–59]d; 2 Tim 2 [i. e. 4:18]; 1 Pt 2[:25]
..through faith and hopeCh. 5[.1], IICh. 4[.1] (2)Heb 4[:3], 6[:18–20]
..through angelsCh. 5[.1], IIICh. 4[.1] (3)Ps 91[:11–12]; Lk 16[:22]e; Heb 1[:14]
Godless souls are thrown down…Ch. 5[.2]Ch. 4(.2)
..by divine powerCh. 5[.2], ICh. 4(.2) [1]Job 27[:8]; Lk 12[:20–21, 45–46]
..by evil angelsCh. 5[.2, II]Ch. 4(.2) [2]Jn 14[:30]; Acts 26[:18]; Col 1[:13]; 1 Tim 6[:9]
[5]
Table 9:

Correspondences in the description of departed righteous souls’ life by Specker and Faber.

TopicStructureSpecker (Pt. 3)Faber
Life of righteous souls6Ch. 6Ch. 5
Luther on Gen 25:7–106.1.1256v–257va4r–8ra
Bullinger against Dormitiansb6.1.2257v
Scriptural description of life of righteous souls6.2258ra1r
In company of Trinity and angels6.2.1258ra1v–2r
Lk 23[:43]258ra2r
Jn 13[:3]258r
Jn 13[:36]258ra2r
Jn 14[:3]258va2r
Jn 12[:26]258v
Jn 17[:24]258va2r
Chrysostom on Jn 12258v
Chrysostom on Jn 17258v
Simon de Cassia258v–259r
2 Cor 5[:6–8]259r
Anselm259r/v
Phil 1[:23]259va2r
Chrysostom259v–260r
Lk 23:43
Heb 12[:22–24]260ra2r/v
2 Pt 1[:10–11]260r/v
Life of blessed souls in heaven6.2.2260v
Nothing evil touches them6.2.2.0260v
No need, poverty etc.6.2.2.1260va2v
Scriptural witnessa2v
Jn 4[:14]260v
Jn 6[:35]261r
Mt 5[:3]/Lk 6[:20]261r
Mt 5[:6]/Lk 6[:21]261r
Eat and drink with Christ6.2.2.2261r
Lk 22[:29–30]261r
Ps 23[:1]
Ambrose261r
Eat of tree of life6.2.2.2.1261r
Jn [i. e. Rev] 2[:7]261v
Bullinger261v
Eat of hidden manna6.2.2.2.2261v
Rev 2[:17a]261v
No strife or vice etc.6.2.2.3261v
Dan 12[:13]261v
Isa 56 [i. e. 57:1–2]261va2v
Wis 4[:7]262ra2v
Heb 4[:3]262ra2v
Heb 4[:9–10]262r
Rev 14[:13]262ra2v
No wrath of God6.2.2.4262r
Wis 4[:15]262ra3r
Rev 2[:17b]262r
Bullinger262r/v
No fright or anxiety etc.6.2.2.5262v
Isa 32[:17–18]262v
No fright or anxiety etc.c6.2.2.6262v
Wis 2 [i. e. 3:1]262va3r
Lk 16[:25]262va3r
Rev 7[:15–17]263ra4rd
Bullinger263r
Ps 16[:11]263r
Isa 61[:10]263r/v
Ambrose263v
No sin or impurity etc.6.2.2.7264r
Isa 61[:10]264r
Lk 9[:30–31]264r
Rev 3[:4]264r
Bullinger264r
Rev 4[:4]264v
Bullinger264v
Rev 6[:9–12]264va3re
Bullinger264v–265r
Rev 7[:9–10]265r
Bullinger265r/v
Wis 2[:22]265v
Summa: everything good and rich rewards6.2.2.8265va4r
Wis 3[:5]265va4r
Isa 3[:10]265va4r
Gen 15[:1]265va4r
Mt 5[:12]265va4r
[6]
Table 10:

The occupation of departed righteous souls according to Specker and Faber.

TopicStructureSpeckerFaberBiblical prooftextsa
Souls do not sleepb1r
[What blessed souls do]8.1
See the Trinity face to face and walk in light8.1.1269r–270rb1rPs 89[:16–18]; Mic 4[:5]; Jn 12[:26], 14[:3], 17[:24]; 2 Cor 5[:8];Phil 1[:23]; Rev 14[:4–5]b
Serve the Trinity8.1.2270rb1r/vRm 14[:8]; Rev 7[:15]
Content of the heavenly worship service8.2270v
Adoration8.2.1270vRev 15[:4]
Praise8.2.2270v–271rb1vDan 3[:86]; Ps 145[:1–2]; Rev 4[:8]; Ps 69[:35], 79 [i. e. 89:6–9], 145[:6–9]
Thanksgiving8.2.3271rb1vPs [140:14], 145[:10–11, 13]
What to give thanks for8.3271v
Creation8.3.1271vb1vRev 4[:11]
Redemption8.3.2271vb1vRev 5[:8–10]
Judgment on God’s enemies8.3.3271v–272rb1vRev 19[:1–3]
All works, wonders, power, truth etc.8.3.4272r/vb1vRev 12 [i. e. 11:15–18], 15[:2–4], 19[:6–7]c
Circumstances of the heavenly worship service8.4272v
Reverence and humility etc.8.4.1272v–274rRm 14[:11]; Phil 2[:9–11]; Rev 4[:9–11], 5 and 7 [i. e. 5:11–14]
Joy and delight8.4.2274r/vPs 100[:1–2]; Rev 19[:7]
Sanctity and righteousness8.4.3274vLk 1[:74–75]
Diligence and desire to please the Godhead8.4.4274v2 Cor 5[:9]; Heb 12[:28]
Souls of those killed for the gospel call for revenge8.4.5274v–275rb1v–2rRev 6[:9–10]b; Ps 79[:10]d
Prayer for the service and the people of God still on earth8.4.6275rb2r/v2 Macc 15[:12, 14]
[7]
Table 11:

Knowledge of the blessed souls according to Specker and Faber.

Piece of knowledge (with biblical prooftexts)Specker (Pt. 3)Faber
Blessed souls recognize the Trinity and all secrets of God’s kingdom (Mt 11:27a; Jn 14:17, 19–20, 21, 17:3).ch. 7, 1 (266r)
Abraham knows the rich man’s godless life and Lazarus’ misery (Lk 16:25).ch. 7, 2 (266v)1[.a] (b3r/v)
Blessed souls know God’s judgment on the godless in this life until the last days (Rev 18:20,a 19:1–3).ch. 7, 3 (266v–267r)3 (b3v–4r)
Blessed souls know God’s special judgment and how each has lived in this life (Lk 16:25).ch. 7, [4] (267r)1[.b] (b3v)b
Abraham knows that his descendents have Moses and the prophets, who lived several hundred years after him (Lk 16:29).ch. 7, [5] (267r)1[.c] (b3v)
Moses and Elijah know of Jesus’ impending death in Jerusalem (Lk 9:31).cch. 7, [6] (267r/v)2 (b3v)
Blessed souls know how those pious and faithful live who are still in this life4 (b4r)
Departed [faithful] souls think of their relatives left behind (Lk 16:27–28)5 (b4v–6r)
The damned recognize their own damnation and the blessedness of the righteousch. 11, 1 (287v)
The damned think of their relatives (Lk 16:28)ch. 11, 2 (287v)
The damned think on their past joy and happiness (Lk 16:25, Wis 5:8–9)ch. 11, 3 (288r)
The damned recognize each other (Isa 14:16–19; Ez 32:20–21, 31)ch. 11, 4 (288v)
[8]
Table 12:

Some major textual correspondences outside formal quotations between Specker and Faber.

TopicSpeckerFaberType of text
Arguments from creation221vY4vSpecker’s rubric adapted
Arguments from redemptiona222rY4v–5rSpecker’s rubric adapted
Arguments from judgmentb222vY5rSpecker’s rubric adapted
On 1 Sam 25[:29]228vY7vUnmarked quotation in Faber
On Jn 5[:24]c251vZ5v–6rUnmarked quotation in Faber
How souls come to their placea252vZ6vSpecker’s rubric adapted
Fellowship with God and angelsa258ra1v–2rSpecker’s rubric adapted
Life of righteous souls260v–262va2v3 of Specker’s headings combined
Occupation of righteous souls269r–270rb1r2 of Specker’s headings combined
Heavenly worship service271v–272rb1v5 of Specker’s headings combined
Appearance of souls on earth275vb7vSpecker’s rubric adapted
On Chrysostom’s homilyc278r/vb8v–c1rUnmarked quotation in Faber
[9]

Notes

The following abbreviations are used in this study: VD16 = Verzeichnis der im deutschen Sprachbereich erschienenen Drucke des 16. Jahrhunderts (www.vd16.de); VD17 = Das Verzeichnis der im deutschen Sprachraum erschienenen Drucke des 17. Jahrhunderts (www.vd17.de); WA = D. Martin Luthers Werke: Kritische Gesamtausgabe, 73 vols. in 85 (Weimar: Böhlau, 1883–2009).

Published Online: 2016-12-3
Published in Print: 2016-12-1

©2016 by De Gruyter

Articles in the same Issue

  1. Frontmatter
  3. “Esse redimendum sepulchrum dominicum per Fridricum imperatorem”
  4. A Woman Printer and Her Readers in Early Modern Transylvania
  5. Francis Lucas ‘of Bruges’ and Textual Criticism of the Vulgate Before and After the Sixto-Clementine (1592)
  6. The Legacy of a Strasbourg Preacher
  7. L’influence de la Confessionnalisation dans les premiers moments de la révolte des Pays-Bas
https://doi.org/10.1515/jemc-2016-0007
Keywords for this article
eschatology; history of doctrine; immortality of soul; literary borrowing; Lutheran theology; sixteenth century; textual analysis; Vnterrichtungen

Articles in the same Issue

  1. Frontmatter
  3. “Esse redimendum sepulchrum dominicum per Fridricum imperatorem”
  4. A Woman Printer and Her Readers in Early Modern Transylvania
  5. Francis Lucas ‘of Bruges’ and Textual Criticism of the Vulgate Before and After the Sixto-Clementine (1592)
  6. The Legacy of a Strasbourg Preacher
  7. L’influence de la Confessionnalisation dans les premiers moments de la révolte des Pays-Bas
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