"Yes, sir, not only to reason, but to nature too: for even nature, I think, father, in all her operations, clearly teaches that God must take an exceeding glory in our happiness; for what else could have led him to build for us such a noble world as this; adorned with so much beauty; stored with such treasures; peopled with so many fair creatures; and lighted up as it is with such gorgeous luminaries by day and by night?"
"I am glad, my son, I touched on this subject of religion in the way I did; your mode of thinking and reasoning on it pleases me greatly. But now taking all this for granted, what is still your idea of the true religion?"
"Why, father, if God thus places his glory in the happiness of man, does it not follow that the most acceptable thing that man can do for God, or in other words, that the true religion of man consists in his so living, as to attain the highest possible perfection and happiness of his nature, that being the chief end and glory of the Deity in creating him?"
"Well, but how is this to be done?"
"Certainly, father, by imitating the Deity."
"By imitating him, child! but how are we to imitate him?"
"In his goodness, father."
"But why do you pitch on his goodness rather than on any other of his attributes?"
"Because, father, this seems, evidently, the prince of all his other attributes, and greater than all."
"Take care child, that you do not blaspheme. How can one of God's attributes be greater than another, when all are infinite?"