60 THE APOSTLE PAUL the Stoic rationalism in the period of the Empire, from the Platonic philosophy and the teaching associated with the Orphic mysteries, where it was likewise based upon enthusiastic experiences, though, it is true, rather of an ecstatic and orgiastic than of an ethical and idealistic character. The Orphic belief, too, in authoritative mediators of revelation and salvation, was rationalised to some extent by Seneca in his ethical Hero-worship. In general, therefore, we may describe that idealistic conception of the world, which meets us especially in the writings of Seneca and Epictetus, as a first attempt to bring the enthusiasm of the religious mystic into the service of the ideals of a rational ethic. Neither Stoicism nor the mystery-cults could give the world the religious satisfaction which it longed for; both had outgrown the official popular religion, and sought to provide a substitute for it, but both essayed the task with inadequate means. Stoicism had, it is true, a rational ethic, with a religious background, and there was not wanting to this ethic a certain enthusiasm, an idealistic impulse and sentiment ; but this idealism was still much too abstract to give substance and form to a religion. It lacked the definite authority of a revelation as a basis for its teaching, and definite mystical acts whereby to express and intensify the belief of the religious community. In these two respects, it is true, the mystery-unions possessed an initial advantage over the philosophic schools. But their deliverer-gods and mediators of salvation were still too closely connected with the old pagan Naturalism, and consequently the enthusiasm pro- duced by their mystic initiations partook too much