MAXENTIUS
915
MAXIMILIAN
tinned to preside, with almost unprecedented popularity, until his death, June 4, 1820. Dr. IMaxcy was one of the most accomplished pulpit orators and scholars this country has produced. He was well versed in philology, criticism, metaphysics, logic, politics, morals, and phi- losophy His character was very amiable and his piety sincere. His death was that of the believer in Jesus, and his memory is widely revered. He published a large number of sermons, addresses, orations, etc., which after his death were gathered in a volume, entitled The Literary Eemaiiis of the Rev. Jonathan Maxcij, D.D., with a Memoir of his Life, by Romeo Elton, D.D. The most valued of his publications were his sermons on the existence of God, frequently republished. See Sprague, Annah, vi, 297; Christian Review, vol. ix; Allibonc, Diet. Brit, and A mer. A itthors, s. v. ; Drake, Bid. A mer. Biog. s. V.
Maxentius. See Constantine.
Maxfield, Thomas, a noted early Methodist lay- preacher, flourished in the latter part of the 18th cen- tury. He was one of Wesley's converts at Bristol, and ■was appointed to pray and expound the Scriptures, but not to preach, at the Foundery, in London, during Mr. Wesley's absence. Maxfield, however, being a young man of "much fervency of spirit, and mighty in the Scriptures," greatly editied the people, who, assembling in vast crowds, and listening with earnest attention, in- sensibly led him to deviate from this restriction and begin to preach. Wesley was informed of this irregu- larity, and hastened to London in alarm to check him, his prejudices for "Church order" being still strong. The mother of Wesley counselled him to hear Maxfield preach before reproving him, adding, "But take care what you do respecting that young man; he is as surely called of God to preach as you are." Wesley heard him, and, his prejudices yielding to the power of truth, he objected no longer. Thus Maxfield became the first of the innumerable itinerantlay-preachers, whohave spread the Gospel throughout the world more successfully than any other class of the Christian community. Wesley promoted his welfare in every way, introduced him in London to a social position superior to his birth, by which he was enabled to make an advantageous mar- riage, and obtained ordination for him in Ireland from the bishop of Londonderry, who favored Wesley in that country. Maxfield was present at the first jMethodist Conference, which was held at the Foundery, London, June 25, 1774. Maxfield also attended the tnird Con- ference assembled at Bristol, May, 174G. He shared the persecution to wliich the followers of Wesley were sub- jected; was at one time seized and imprisoned for the king's service, thrown into a dungeon, and offered to the commander of a ship of war. In 17G3, during a re- vival in Loudon, great excitement was produced by an honest madman. Bell, formerly a life-guardsman, who had become a local preacher, and supposed that he had performed a miraculous cure. Possessing more enthu- siasm than judgment, he became fanatical in public meetings, and greatly excited his hearers. He unfor- tunately obtained much influence over Maxfield — the latter was not naturally an enthusiast — and made him a companion in his fanaticism. Both the Wesleys conversed with IMaxficld on the subject, telling him what they disliked in liis conduct. In some matters he had lieen unjustly blamed, in others he promised to change; the evil, however, was not remedied, but seemed rather to increase. Then Mr. Wesley wrote a long letter to Maxfield, plainly telling him of the errors of his preaching and conduct, and of its tendency to- wards a separation from the Wesleyans. The doctrines advocated by Maxticld and Bell were erroneous, inas- much as they taught that a person saved from sin need not examine himself, need not pray in private, need onlij believe ; that heliecing malvcs man perfect, and that the pure in heart cannot fall from grace. They said no one thus saved could be taught by any one who was not.
They were thus led to consider themselves the only persons really capable of interpreting the Gospel and qualified to teach it, and soon regarded themselves as inspired, mistaking the workings of their own imagina- tions for the voice of the Spirit, and neglecting knowl- edge, reason, and wisdom generally. Maxfield finally decided to separate from Mr. Wesley, and accordingly gave up his work at the Foundery, and took with him one hundred and seventy persons who had embraced the Wesleyan cause. He now opened an independent chapel, and preached for twenty years. Towards the close of Maxfleld's life, Wesley, in his travels through England, found him sinking under paralysis and the weight of years, prayed with him, invoking God's blessing on his last days, and subsequently preached in his chapel. See Stevens, Hist, of Methodism (Index in vol. iii) ; Smith, Hist, of Weslerj and his Time; Tyerman, Life of Wesley (see Index in vol. iii).
Maximian. See Diocletian.
Maximianists, a considerable party among the Donatists who separated from the main body of that sect, and arrogated to themselves the exclusive posses- sion of those qualities of perfection and infallibility to which the whole sect had made pretensions when they separated from the Catholic Chiuch. See Donatists.
Maximilian I, one of the most distinguished of the German emperors, the son and successor of Frederick III, the forerunner of Charles V, was born at Neustadt, near Vienna, March 22, 1459. In his nineteenth year he married Maria, the only child and heiress of Charles the Bold, duke of Burgundy, who died in 1482. IMaximilian had hoped to enjoy the estates of his father-in-law, but Louis XI of France attempted to seize some of these pos- sessions, and thus involved our German prince in a con- test which, when it promised to end favorably for Max- imilian, was suddenlj' turned in favor of Louis XI liy the dexterous intrigues of the latter among the Nether- landers. It was not until 1493 that peace was finally established at Senlis. This very year his father the emperor died, and IMaximilian succeeded to the govern- ment of the vast possessions of the Teutonic realm, so soon to become the theatre of one of the greatest revo- lutions the world has ever been called upon to witness —the Reformation of the 16th century— an event that was ushered in just as IMaximilian himself was fast fading as the shades of evening. In 1494 the newly- crowned emperor married Bianca Sforza, daughter of the duke of Milan, which alliance gave rise to a succession of wars in Italy. Shortly after he joined the League of Cambray, formed between pope Julius II, Ferdinand of Spain, and Louis XII of France, against the Venetians ; but that republic having soon after become reconciled to the pope, Maximilian joined the so-called Holy League between England, Spain, Venice, and the pope, in oppo- sition to the French, who were signally defeated by the forces of Henry VIII and the emperor in the '■ battle of the spurs," near Guincgate (1513). The ascension of Francis I to the throne of France somewhat modified matters in favor of the French. The new king of the Franks captured INIilan, and compelled Maximilian to give up Verona to the Venetians for 200,000 ducats. By the treaty of Basle (1499) he had been obliged to ac- knowledge the independence of S^vitzerland. Though thus unsuccessful in his wars, he had the fortune to see the hereditary dominions of his house increased during his reign by several peaceful additions; and the mar- riage of his son Philip with the infanta Juana, and of his daughter Margaret with the infant Juan of Spain, led to the subsequent union of Spain with Austria, while the marriage of two of his grandchildren with the son and daughter of Ladislaus, king of Hungary and Bohemia, brought both these kingdoms to the Aus- trian monarchy. The closing activity of his reign was displayed against the rising heresy. Luther had just come forward and attacked Tetzel (1517), and. as Leo X was inclined to make light of the opposition of the little