THE NEW SCHAFF-HERZOG
MOERLIN, mur'lin (MOEHRLE, MOEHRLEIN, Lat. MORLINUS), JOACHIM.
Early Life (§1).
Controversy with Osiander (§2).
Driven from Konigsberg (§3).
Efforts for Theological Reconciliation (§ 4).
Recalled to Konigsberg (§ 5).
Becomes Bishop of Samland (§ 6).
Joachim Morlin, who was an important figure in the controversies following Luther's death, was born at Wittenberg Apr. 5, 1514, and d. at Konigsberg May 29, 1571. He studied at Wittenberg under Luther, Melanchthon, Jonas, and Crui. Early ciger from 1532 to 1536. After a brief Life. residence at Coburg, he returned to Wittenberg and in 1539 became Luther's chaplain, declining a call to succeed Poliander at Konigsberg. While a true pupil of Luther, Morlin was more influenced by the dogmatics of Melanchthon, though devoid of sympathy with the Philippistic efforts for union with the Reformed. On Sept. 22, 1540, he left Wittenberg to become superintendent at Arnstadt, where, until deposed in Mar., 1543, for his rigid discipline and opposition to union, he displayed great activity, moral earnestness, and courage. But neither the appeal of his congregation nor the sympathy of Luther could overcome the hostility of the count of Schwartzburg, and on May 10, 1544, Morlin became superintendent at Gottingen. Here he was equally firm in insistence on purity of life and doctrine, and wrote his Enchiridion catecheticum (1544), taught rhetoric in the Latin school, and lectured on Erasmus and the Loci of Melanchthon. Morlin's activity in Gottingen came to an end with his uncompromising resistance to the union advocated by the Interim (q.v.), and on Jan. 17, 1550, after vain protests by both council and congregation to Duke Erich, he was dismissed from office. Morlin went to Erfurt, thence to Arnstadt, and finally to Schleusingen, where he lived and preached in the castle of the count of Henneberg. Yet even here he was not altogether safe, and on Aug. 25, 1550, he left Schleusingen, arriving at Konigsberg on Sept. 13. There, since Prussia did not belong constitutionally to the empire, he could not be molested, and was appointed, on Sept. 27, 1550, pastor at the Kneiphofer Dom and inspector.
There Morlin became involved in the Osiandrian controversy (see Osiander, Andreas), for it was not in his nature to remain neutral. The break, however, between Morlin and Osiander was gradual. When the latter defended his view of justification (Oct. 24, 1550), Morlin remained 2. Contro- a silent witness; but Osiander's work versy with on the incarnation and the image of Osiander. God, and still more his Bericht und Trostschrift, with its savage attack on Melanchthon, led Morlin to complain on Feb. 7, 15.51, to Albert of Prussia (q.v.), though he did this so delicately that the duke commissioned him and Aurifaber, Osiander's son-in-law, to assemble the theologians for the conference which was held Feb. 13-17. Here Morlin's sincere desire for peace was evident, but his suspicion of Osiander increased, even though the latter claimed to be in harmony with Luther, denying the truth of Morlin's Anti-
logia seu contraria doctrina inter Lutherum et Osiandrum. On Apr. 19 Morlin preached against those who depreciated the merits of Christ, and Osiander rightly took this as directed against himself. The breach was now complete, and after an interchange of recriminations, Morlin was replaced by Stancarus, professor of Hebrew. Before a new colloquy could be held, however, the duke directed (May 8) first Osiander and then his opponents to present their views in writing. Osiander hesitated, and Morlin attacked him coarsely from the pulpit (May 27). The duke now forced Morlin to defend his tenets in writing, and further roused him and his followers to passionate resistance by appointing Osiander to administer the bishopric of Samland, and by requiring Morlin and others to submit to the decision of the church. The characteristic reply (July 21) was that Morlin and his adherents refused to recognize Osiander's jurisdiction, since he was a heretic, and they appealed to a free synod. Osiander's opponents now continued their attacks and virtually set up a separate church. This was forbidden by the duke (Aug. 12), who sent them Osiander's confession of faith, which was returned unread. The polemics still continued, and Albert in despair sent Osiander's confession to the princes and cities of Germany, urging a synod. Morlin's position was gaining strength in Prussia, and the majority of the opinions of the churches outside Prussia were also favorable to him. The very refusal of the duke to publish these condemnations of Osiander aided Morlin, who, on May 23, 1552, published a polemic defending the doctrine of justification against his opponent, in which he clearly set forth the orthodox Wittenberg position, and emphasized the difference between it and Osiander's teaching. Besides continuing to urge the publication of the opinions just mentioned, Morlin preached a sermon (June, 1552) directed against Osiander, deprecating speculations on the inscrutable essence of God; and Osiander replied with his impassioned Schmeckbier, in which he arraigned Morlin and his friends. The controversy increased in pettiness and coarseness, until Albert threatened (July 15, 1552) to depose Morlin, only to receive the respectful but firm reply that Morlin held it his divinely commissioned duty to polemize against Osiander. Meanwhile a second opinion came from Wurttemberg, and from it both Osiander and Morlin claimed the support of Johann Brenz (q.v.), but on Oct. 17, 1552, the weary struggle found its end in the death of Osiander, a defeated man.
The peace-loving policy of Albert was still to demonstrate its futility. The ambiguity of the Wurttemberg declaration seemed to him to 3. Driven constitute a good formula of union,
from and on Jan. 24, 1553, he required that Konigs- sermons on justification should be
berg. preached according to the six Wurttemberg articles, and that all coarseness should be avoided. This was tantamount to a defense of Osiandrianism, but the great majority of the duke's subjects were opposed, while Morlin declared himself unable to obey the ducal mandate when contrary to the obligations of religion. This was the only course open to him, but the duke's