Christian piety annihilates the egoism of the heart; worldly politeness veils and represses it.

Men are so necessarily mad, that not to be mad would amount to another form of madness.

Those who profess contempt for men, and put them on a level with beasts, yet wish to be admired and believed by men, and contradict themselves by their own feelings--their nature, which is stronger than all, convincing them of the greatness of man more forcibly than reason convinces them of his baseness.

Not only do we know God through Jesus Christ, we only know ourselves through Jesus Christ.

The authority of reason is far more imperious than that of a master; for he who disobeys the one is unhappy, but he who disobeys the other is a fool.

All men seek happiness. There are no exceptions.... This is the motive of every act of every man, including those who go and hang themselves.

Without the knowledge of our wretchedness, the knowledge of God creates pride. With it, the knowledge of God creates despair. The knowledge of Christ offers a third way, because in him we find both God and our wretchedness.