who has self-consciousness, resolves
on action after deliberating upon what he thinks best, and carries out
his resolve with free will; he is, then, himself the aim of his life.
Therefore, to lead this being towards his own destination, it was proper
not to subject him to restraint under laws of necessity, otherwise the
freedom of his will would have been destroyed; it was only necessary to
enlighten him, to place before him some fundamental truths, capable of
dispelling all doubts from his mind, and detaching him from errors and
superstitions, and thus to offer him means and inducements sufficient to
direct his attention and will towards the end designed by the Divine
wisdom.

XXXVII. It is these truths, offered as means and inducements, that
constitute the essence of revelation. Through revelation, man was made
acquainted that God created the universe out of nought, that He governs
it with His wisdom, and can work every change which He deems suitable;
that He created man in the Divine image, that is, with an immortal soul,
capable of receiving within itself the Divine idea, of conceiving its
sublimity, and carrying it into effect. Through revelation, man learnt
that God is One, omnipotent, holy, of infinite forbearance and mercy,
and an inexhaustible source of pure love; that He created as a stock of
all the human family a single individual (to proclaim thereby the
principle of universal brotherhood and mutual love between all the
members of that family); that He desires to be loved, worshipped, and
served by it, with purity of heart, with elevation of spirit, and with
unflinching constancy. Through revelation, we are taught to use wisely
the earthly gifts, and to turn their material enjoyment into a subject
for edification and the glorification of God; to exercise right,
justice, rectitude, charity, piety, and humility; we are also taught
that God judges the human actions, punishes those who contravene His
will, and is disposed to pardon the sins of those who feel a true
repentance. And, lastly, through revelation, an invitation is tendered
to man to elevate his mind to the Creator, to imitate Him, to approach
Him through self-sanctification; and a perspective is opened before his
mind's eye of an interminable future of beatitude beyond the grave, as
the ultimate goal of his longings, and a just reward to his virtuous
conduct.

XXXVIII. When an individual, after long and serious meditations, and
through a conc