LIBERTY
418
LIBERTY
riage, such as satisfie^both body and mind, being a union of each to each ; communion of saints extended not merely to the worldly possessions, but also to the very bodies of the saints. In short, spiritualism soon degenerated into open and avowed sensualism and ma- terialism. But this is the very feature which gave it its influence with some classes in Geneva. The example of tlieir bishops and of the cathedral canons had excited their imagination bj' inclining them to self-indulgence and licentiousness, and political circumstances operated in favor of the same result. Soon, however, the real principles of the Libertines appeared in their full light, and created a reaction, some women having gone so far as to quote Scripture to authorize their excesses, in- sisting especially on the fact of God's first command to our first parents having been " to increase and multiply" ("Crescite et multiplicamini super terrara. En prima lex, quam ordinavit Dens, quaj vocabatur lex naturte," c. "23). See Communism ; " Free Love" in the article Marriage. As Calvin had favored political libertin- ism, those who considered themselves aggrieved by the practice of the spiritualists turned also against him, and this politico-reUgious reaction went as far as irrehgion and atheism, as in the case of Jacob Gruet, whose ultra- radical principles in politics and rationalism in religion led to his trial before the courts of Geneva July 27, 1547. Yet no one really did more to counteract the principles of the Libertines than did Calvin himself. First, in 1544, he brought all their secret principles to light in one of his works (see Instit. iii, 3, § 14). Afterwards, in 1547, he warned the faithful of Rouen against an ex-Francis- can monk who was inculcating libertine doctrines, and who met with some success, especially among women of the higher classes. Under Calvin's influence Farel also took up the pen against the Libertines {Le (jlaive de la parole veritable, tire contre le houclier de defense, ditquel un 'cordelier s'est voulti servir pour approuver sesfaiisses et dumiiubles opinions [Geneva, 1550 ; see Kirchhofer, Theol. Studien tuulKrif. 1831]). The queen of Navarre was highly offended at Calvin for denouncing the lead- ers of the Libertines who were then at her court; he therefore wrote to her a letter which is a remarkable specimen of respectful remonstrance (Aug. 28, 1545 ; in French, see J. Bonnet, Lettres de J. Calvin, i. Ill sq. ; Latin, Epist. et Resp. ed. Amst. p. 33). It is, in fact, due to his efforts that this sect, this banefid curse, left France to take refuge in. its native country, Belgium, and tliat it finally (Usappeared altogether. Against the Libertines of Geneva the attacks were for a long time unavailing; they cannot be considered to have been successfully ended until after the insurrection of May 15, 1555, when the principal leaders were either exiled or imprisoned. See Calvin, Aux ministi-es de Veglise de Neujchastel contre In saic fiiimtique etfurievse des Lih- ertins qui se nomment Sjiiiilii<ls (Gen. 1544, 8 vo; 1545, and other editions) ; Contre iiii Franciscain, sectateitr des eiTeurs des Liberiins, adresse a l\ylke de Rouen (20 Aoilt, 1547 [both these have been published together in 1547, in the Opuscides, p. 817 sq., and by P. Jacob, p. 293 sq. ; Lat. by Des Gallars, in Opusc. omn. Gen. 1552 ; 0pp. ed. Amst. viii, 374 sq.J); Vicot,// isi.de Geneve; Gieseler, Kirclaii<i<sch. iii, 1, p. 385 ; Ilundeshagen, in the Theol. Stud, uud Ki-it. (1845) ; Herzog, Real-£iicyklop,\iu, 874- 380. (J. II. W.)
Liberty. "The idea of liberty," says Locke, "is the idea of a power in any agent to do or forbear any particular action, according to the determination or thought of the mind, whereby either of tlicm is preferred to the other. AVlien either of them is not in the power of the agent, to be produced by him according to his volition, then he is not at liberty, but under necessity." From this, and the extract whicli follows, it will be seen that Locke's ideas of libcrl;/ and eti power are veiy nearly the same. "Every one," he observes, "finds in himself a power to begin or forbear, continue or put an end to, several actions in himself. From the consideration of the extent of this power of the mmd over the actions