Man can, indeed, act contrarily to the decrees of God, as far as they have been written like laws in the minds of ourselves or the prophets, but against that eternal decree of God, which is written in universal nature, and has regard to the course of nature as a whole, he can do nothing.

Men are especially intolerant of serving and being ruled by, their equals.

The supreme mystery of despotism, its prop and stay, is to keep men in a state of deception, and with the specious title of religion to cloak the fear by which they must be held in check, so that they will fight for their servitude as if for salvation.

The order and connection of ideas is the same as the order and connection of things.

If slavery, barbarism and desolation are to be called peace, men can have no worse misfortune.

Nature offers nothing that can be called this man's rather than another's; but under nature everything belongs to all.

Whatsoever is contrary to nature is contrary to reason, and whatsoever is contrary to reason is absurd.