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This volume examines the role of the Cambridge Platonist, Henry More, in discrediting certain religious and philosophical movements of the seventeenth century by branding them as "enthusiastical" (the result of psychological imbalance issuing in impaired judgement and cognition). More's views are distinguished from his "enthusiastical" opponents - Alchemists, Quakers, and Mechanical Philosophers - by looking at the way in which he dialectically employs various speech genres to describe religious meaning and to evoke in his readers attitudes and feelings confirming that meaning. More is presented as offering a consistent ideal of the religiously meaningful life, protecting it from various forms of intellectual corruption. More's paradoxical ways of polemicizing are explained while at the same time the author provides insight into such diverse themes as the connection between Hermeticism, Cartesianism, and religious radicalism.
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BRILL'S STUDIES IN INTELLECTUAL HISTORY General Editor
A J.
VANDERJAGT,
University of Groningen
Editorial Board
M. COLISH, Oberlin College J.I. ISRAEL, University College, London J.D. NORTH, University of Groningen H.A. OBERMAN, University of Arizona, Tucson R.H. POPKIN, Washington University, St. Louis-UCLA VOLUME 71
THE ENTHUSIASTICAL CONCERNS OF DR. HENRY MORE Religious Meaning and the Psychology of Delusion
BY
DANIEL FOUKE
E J. BRILL LEIDEN · NEW YORK · KÖLN 1997
The paper in this book meets the guidelines for permanence and durability of the Committee on Production Guidelines for Book Longevity of the Council on Library Resources.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Fouke, Daniel Clifford, 1952The enthusiastical concerns of Dr. Henry More : religious meaning and the psychology of delusion / by Daniel Fouke. p. cm. — (Brill's studies in intellectual history, ISSN 0920-8607 ;v. 71) Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 9004106006 (cloth : alk. paper) 1. More, Henry, 1614-1687—Contributions in controversial literature against enthusiasm. 2. Enthusiasm—Religious aspects-Christianity—History of doctrines—17th century. I. Title. II. Series. BR114.F68 1996 274\2Ό7—dc20 96-20133 CIP Die Deutsche Bibliothek - CIP-Einheitsaufnahme Fouke, Daniel: The enthusiastical concerns of Dr. Henry More : religious meaning and the psychology of delusion / by Daniel Fouke. Leiden ; New York ; Köln : Brill, 1996 (Brill's studies in intellectual history ; Vol.71) ISBN 90-04-10600-6 NE:GT
ISSN 0920-8607 ISBN 90 04 10600 6 © Copyright 1997 by EJ. Bull, Leiden, The Netherlands All nghts reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, translated, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without pnor wntten permission from the publisher, Authonzation to photocopy items for internal or personal use is granted by E.J. Bull provided that the appropriate fees are paid directly to The Copyright Clearance Center, 222 Rosewood Ehive, Suite 910 Danvers MA 01923, USA. Fees are subject to change. PRINTED IN THE NETHERLANDS
To my parents, Durhl and Evelyn Fouke, without whom nothing.
CONTENTS Acknowledgments
xi
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION
1
1.1. A Brief Sketch of More's Life and Writings 1.2. The Rise of Anti-enthusiasm 1.3. Methodological Problems for the Historian of Philosophy
1 5 9
CHAPTER TWO. THEORY, NARRATIVE, AND RELIGIOUS EXPERIENCE IN THE PHILOSOPHICAL POEMS
2.1. The Construction of a Spiritual Crisis 2.2. The Philosophical Poems: Their Linguistic Modes and Theoretical Order 2.3. Deity 2.4. Cosmogonie Processes: Creation, Emanation, and God's Body 2.5. The H u m a n Soul 2.6. Normativity 2.7. Religious Mean