See Danz, Univvrsuhviirterhnch d. Theolog. Literatur, p. 6<S1 ; Malcom, Theoltrjical Index, \\ 317 sq. ; Winer, JIamlbnch, i, 501 sq. ; Herzog, liial-Kiicjiklop. x, 152 sq. ; Bretschneider, Sijstematische /■Jnlirickiliiiir/, p. 2"2 ; Tho- luck, Sitsismus sen T/ieosojj/iin Pi rsiirum jxiiitkeigtica (Berlin, 1821); Berger, Di.^jnifulii) de jnt/sticismo (Har- lem, 1819); Ilofling, J/y.s7/r(Vw«.,- (Krlangen, 1832); Theremin, Ueber d. Wesen d. 7ii;/sti.trlieii Theolor/ie {Abtndslundeii, Berlin, 1833); lleinroth, Cesch. w. AVi- tik. d. Afi/slirismiis idler beknnnten \'olk< r u. Zeiten (Leips. 1830, «vo); (J(irres,y>'iV christl. Mi/stik (IJegensb. 183(5); Ilelff'erich, Die chi-istl. Afyslik (Ilainb. 1812); Lisko, Die lleildehre d. Theolof/ie (Stuttg. 18o7); Ilamberger, atimmen uus dem IJeilifftltum, etc. (Stuttg. 1857; ; Greith,
Die Deutsche ^fysiik im Prediger-Orden (Freib. 1861, 8vo); Pfeiffer, Deutsche Mystiker im 14 Juhrhund. (Leips. 1845-57); Noack, Die chiistliche Mystik im Mitlelalter, u. in d. neueren Zeit (Kijnigsb. 1853, 8vo); Kanke, Hist, nf the Reformation ; Lord Herbert, Mem- oirs; Coleridge, Aids to Reflection; Parker, Discourse of Af alters pertaining to Religion ; Cockburn, The De- lusions and Errors of Antoina Bourignon, etc.; Sto- well. On the Work of the Spirit, p. 258 sq. ; Yaughan, Hours with the Mystics: a Contribution to the History of Religious Opinion (Lend. 1850, 2 vob.) ; Bergier, Diet, de Theologie, vi, 287; Jligne, Diet, de Mystique chretienne; Ueckethorn, Hist, of ,Sec7et Societies of all Ages and Countries (Lond. 1874), pt. iv; De Stael's Germany, pt. ii, ch. v ; Meth. Qu. Rev. Jan. 1853, p. 105, 161; Jan. 1860; April, 1800, p. 277; Jan. 1869, p. 49; Bibl. Sacra, Jan. 1851, p. 51; Jan. 1854, p. 546; Lond. Rev. Jan. 1857, art. ii ; Edinb. Rev. Ixxiv, 102, 195 ; Xeu- Englander. v, 348 ; Retrospective Rev. i, 288 ; Chnstian Qu. July, 1873, art. vii; Black-u-ood's Mag. 1854, i, 66 sq. (Myst. in China) ; Christian Examiner, xxxvii, 308 ; Brownson's Rev. Oct. 1803, p. 428 ; Brit, and Eor. Ev. Rev. Sept. 1854, p. 572 ; Kitto, Journ. of Sac. Lit. 1854, p. .546; Westminster Rev. Oct. 1853; Oct. 1870, p. 219; Christian Remembrancer, Jan. 1866, p. 86; .Tahrb. deutsch. Theol. 1807, ii, 362; Zeitschr. hist. Theol. Oct. 1850, p. 231 ; Jan. 1859, p. 49 ; Brit. Qu. Oct. 1874, art. i. A complete account of the host of mystical writers to 1740 is given in Arnold's Kirch en- Historic (Schaffhau- sen, 1742). See also the Church histories of Alzog, Gieseler, !Milman, Niedner, Kurtz, Ilardwick (M. A . and Ref), Mosheim, Waddington ; Ilagenbach, Hist, of Doctr. (Index in vol. ii); Neander, Christian Dogmas, p. 604, 630; Ullman, Ref. before the Ref. ii, 44 sq., 185 sq. ; Fisher, Hist. Ref. p. 65, 67 sq., 245; Stoughton, Eccl. Hist, of England, i, 482; ii, 262, .369-385; Hurst's Hagenbach, Ch. Hist, of the 18lh and \^th Centuries (In- dex in vol. ii) ; Jlorell, Hist, of Modern J'hilosophy, ii, 332 sq., 356 sq. ; I^ect. on the Philos. Tendencies of the Age, lect. iii ; Ueberweg, Hist, of Philos. i, 358, 400, 433, 435, 436, 467 sq.; ii, 20, 23, 54, 115, 213, 222; Lewes, Hist. Philos. (see Index in vol. ii). (.1. II. W.)
Myth, a (Jreck term (/ir^or), which, however, is not to be found in the Sept. Even in the Ajiocrypha the word occurs but once (/n'-rof aKaipoc, ICcdes. xx, 19, A. V. "an unseasonable tale"), and that in a general sense ; while, in one other passage (Bar. iii, 23), /ii'^ij- \oyoi, '-authors of fables," has a somewhat doubtful meaning. In the N. T., however, the word occurs five times, and always in a severely disparaging sense, and in every instance is rendered '• fables" in our version. Thus Timothy is warned against ^-fables and endless genealogies, which minister (juestions rather than god- ly edifying" (1 Tim. i, 4); and against "profane and old wives' fables" (/3f/3//Xoi'C "^'W' ypaw^tlg ^ivSrovc iv, 7). These "fables" are opposed to "the truth," and Titus is forbidden to give heed 'loi't^aicoif ^('Soif. Lastly, in 2 Pet. i, 10 they are characterized as onro- (piaj-iivot, "cunningly devised," and are contrasted with the sober testimony of eye-wit nesses(comp. TTfTrXaff/ifj'oi /.tv^ot, Diod. Sic. i, 93). Just so in (ireck /n'^ot arc opposed to 'ifrrnfAn (comp. Auson. Prof. Carm. 21, 26, "Callentes mython plasmata et historiam"). It is ob- vious, therefore, that in the N. T. a myth is used in its latest sense to express a story invented as the vehicle for some ethical or theological doctrine, which, in fact, has been called in later times an cthopa-ia or philoso- pheme. Yet the condemnation is spirial and not gen- eral, and cannot ])oint with <lissatisfaction to myths, which, like those of Plato, arc the splendidly imagina- tive embodiment of some subjective truth, and which claim no credence for themselves, l)\it are only meant to be regarded as the vehicles of spiritual instruction (see archbishop Trencli (>n the J'urables, eh. ii. where he distinguishes iictween "myth." "falile," "parable," "allegory," etc.). That there is nothing in such "myths" to deserve reprobation, nay more, that they are a wise
MYTH
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form of teaching, is clear from the direct quotation of mythical stories by Jude (ver. 9, 14), and from the use of strictly analogous modes of conveying truth (alle- gory, fable, parable, etc.) in other parts of the Bible, as well as in the writings of all the wisest of mankind. It must, then, have been the doctrines involved, and not the " mythical" delivery of them, which awoke the in- dignation of the apostles; and if, as Tertullian thought (^Ad'j. Valent. iii), and as is now generally believed, the " myths" alluded to were the Gnostic mythology of the "iEons," of which the seeds may have been beginning to develop themselves when the pastoral epistles were written, we can easily understand how they would ap- pear to bear the stamp of" philosophy and vain deceit." Theodoret, however, on Tit. i, 14, refers the "Jewish fables" to the Mishna (r/)v vv airixiv KoXovukviiv £tu- Tipwaw, Alford, ad loc).