222 THE WORLD-ENEKGY 



coincide with the logical. The world of finite things 

 presents in chronological order the logical relations which 

 must of necessity be co-existent in the absolute,, self -equal 

 process which the World-Energy itself forever is. 



It is to be remarked now that the self -equality of the 

 World-Energy,, when considered specially with reference 

 to its potentiality that is, when considered abstractly 

 leads to the conception of a moveless equilibrium; * and 

 this easily passes into the anthropomorphic conception of 

 repose. Whence all early forms of religion present in one 

 or another way the conception of the Divine as " taking 

 rest." This appears in the familiar description of crea- 

 tion, as presented in the Hebrew scriptures. The Divine 

 is seen in council, deliberating; then as creatively active 

 for a period; following which comes a period of repose. 



Here the deliberation or thought of the Divinity is 

 represented as passing in time. A plan is considered, 

 developed, matured, and then put into execution; this 

 latter phase of predominant activity also being one which 

 unfolds through a period of time. Finally, the Divinity, 

 having completed His work, .desists from labor and relapses 

 into a state of relaxation and repose the abstract self- 

 equality of potentiality, of passive equilibrium and self- 

 satisfaction. 



Here, indeed, we find the three fundamental phases of 

 spirit imaged to us, but in such way as to represent those 

 phases to us as not merely each variable in degree, but 

 also as separable from one another. God here appears 

 first as predominantly a thinking agency; then as pre- 

 dominantly a creating agency, or as will; then as pre- 

 dominantly a self -poised, passive unity of self-satisfaction 



* A further stage in the development of that equilibrium which we have 

 already seen to be the logical outcome of the Laws of Motion. 



