MOERLIN, MAXIMILIAN: German Lutheran, brother of Joachim Mörlin; b. at Wittenberg Oct . 14, 1516; d. at Coburg Apr. 20, 1584. He studied theology at Wittenberg under Luther and Melanch thon, and, after being active for a time in churches at Pegau and Zeitz, was called in 1543 to the pas torate of Schalkau. In 1544 he accepted a call to Coburg as court preacher, and in 1546 he became superintendent. Like his brother, he remained throughout his life a Melanchthonian Lutheran, and like him he was for a time under the influence of Flacius. During his brother's controversy with Osiander, moreover, he wrote a polemic against Osiander, though its title is no longer known. He subscribed to the strictures of the Weimar and Coburg theologians on Osiander, and made a zeal ous, though fruitless, effort at the Synod of Eisen ach to secure the condemnation of Menius; while he also took part in the futile colloquy at Worms. With Musaius and St6ssel, though inspired rather by Flacius, he compiled the %onfutationsbuch (1557-58), which was made the norm for the, churches of Coburg. In 1560, when the Elector Palatine Frederick contemplated introducing Re formed doctrines into his territories, his son-in-law, John Frederick of Coburg, sought to dissuade him, and went for that purpose to Heidelberg with Mar lin and St6ssel. The ensuing disputation between M6rhn and Stdssel for the Lutherans and Bouquin for the Calvinists, which lasted five days, was with out result, but in any case the triumph of Reformed doctrines in the Palatinate was almost inevitable. But though, like his brother, breaking with Flacius, Marlin was ever inclined to moderation and peace, and these qualities gained his appointment to the consistory of Weimar. Here, in the interests of peace and of Melanchthonian dogmatics, he advo cated the deposition of Flacius and the expulsion of his adherents, and with a like irenic spirit he sought to have all pastors subscribe the somewhat Philip pistic Declaration of Strigel (Mar. 3, 1562). With the regency of Flacius' sympathizer, John William, in Coburg, M6rlin was deposed, but was appointed court preacher by Count John of Nas sau-Dillenburg. This position, however, was brief, for the count was Calvinistically inclined, while Morlin was as decidedly opposed to Reformed ten ets. Meanwhile John Frederick, from his prison in Thuringia, had induced his brother, John William, to recall Morlin, who accordingly returned to Coburg in the winter of 1572, only to find it held by the partizans of Flacius. In 1573, under the new regent, Elector August, he was reinstated in all his former positions and his chief antagonist, Museeus, was expelled. M6rlin now removed all clergy whom he suspected of the slightest taint of Flacianism. His mediating tendency carried the day in the Formula of Concord, and he also took part in the conferences of Lichtenberg, and Torgau. Besides the lost work mentioned above, M6rlin wrote: Apophtegmata colllecta ex Eusebii Historia Ecclesias tics et Tripartita (Nuremberg, 1552); Lazarus resus citatus (Frankfort, 1572); and Trostschrift von dent. Kindlein die nicht konnen zur Tauf gebracht werden (Nuremberg, 1575).

(F. Lezius.)

Bibliography: A. Beck, Johann Friedrich der Mittlere, 2 vols., Gotha, 1858; W. Preger, Matthias Placcius, 2 vols., Erlangen, 1859-61; G. C. B. Berbig, Aus der Gefangenschaft Johann Friedrich des Mitileren, Goths. 1898.