The fundamental Theistic conception which lies at the very root of the Biblical doctrine of Creation, and clearly distinguishes it from all Materialistic, Pantheistic, and Dualistic notions of the origin of the world, is that God is the _Absolute Personality_--the eternally self-conscious, self-complete, self-sufficient Being, all the determinations of whose _nature_ and _action_ are grounded in his absolute Will. The Divine essence, in its inmost, deepest ground, is not determined being, but _unlimited power of self-determination_. The primitive, root idea of the Godhead is an _ever-living, unconditioned Will_--an unconditioned Will as the indivisible unity and perpetual differentiation of _reason_ and _power_, a will which realizes itself in self-affirmation (IPSËITY); manifests itself in self-determination and choice (ALTERITY); and completes itself in the actualization of a final purpose (PERFECTION).[53] The _nature_ of God, as distinct from his _essence_, is absolutely his own act.[54] God, as the manifested God, is what He is by his own determination and choice. God is just, because He wills to be just; God is holy, because He wills to be holy; God is good, because He wills to be good, and not from any constraining, immanent necessity, otherwise He could not be the object of praise, adoration, and love. If God is not good by virtue of his own determination and choice, then there is nothing praiseworthy and adorable in his nature, and all the thanksgiving of sacred psalmody is meaningless; worship is groundless, religion has no significance, and love to God is impossible. A necessitated goodness can no more command our moral esteem than the uniform revolution of the planetary orbs, and where there is no moral esteem, there can be no love, no worship, and no praise.[55] If, then, God is a personal Being, the Absolute Personality, another being can not proceed from Him except in virtue of his own free determination. _Creation must therefore be a_ VOLUNTARY _act_.