He who takes nature for his guide, is not easily beaten out of his argument Thomas Paine More Quotes by Thomas Paine More Quotes From Thomas Paine We can only reason from what is; we can reason on actualities, but not on possibilities. Thomas Paine possibilitymotivationreason That there are men in all countries who get their living by war, and by keeping up the quarrels of Nations is as shocking as it is true. Thomas Paine moneywarcountry The abilities of man must fall short on one side or the other, like too scanty a blanket when you are abed. If you pull it upon your shoulders, your feet are left bare; if you thrust it down to your feet, your shoulders are uncovered. Thomas Paine feetmenfall The period of debate is closed. Arms, as a last resource, must decide the contest. Thomas Paine armsconservativelasts The New Testament, they tell us, is founded upon the prophecies of the Old; if so, it must follow the fate of its foundation. Thomas Paine foundationfatereligion The Deist needs none of those tricks and shows called miracles to confirm his faith, for what can be a greater miracle than the creation itself, and his own existence? Thomas Paine creationmiracleneeds We hold the moral obligation of providing for old age, helpless infancy, and poverty is far superior to that of supplying the invented wants of courtly extravagance. Thomas Paine extravaganceagejustice Now is the seedtime of continental union, faith and honor. The least fracture now, will be like a name engraved with the point of a pin on the tender rind of a young oak; the wound would enlarge with the tree, and posterity read in it full grown characters. Thomas Paine namestreecharacter It is a position not to be controverted, that the earth ... was and ever would have continued to be, the COMMON PROPERTY OF THE HUMAN RACE. Thomas Paine raceearthcommon I am sensible that he who means to do mankind a real service must set down with the determination of putting up, and bearing with all their faults, follies, prejudices and mistakes until he can convince them that he is right. Thomas Paine determinationrealmistake The artificial noble shrinks into a dwarf before the noble of nature; and in the few instances (for there are some in all countries) in whom nature, as by a miracle, has survived in aristocracy, those men despise it. Thomas Paine dwarvesmencountry One would think that a system loaded with such gross and vulgar absurdities as Scripture religion is could never have obtained credit; yet we have seen what priestcraft and fanaticism can do, and credulity believe. Thomas Paine scripturebelievethinking He that rebels against reason is a real rebel, but he that in defence of reason rebels against tyranny has a better title to Defender of the Faith, than George the Third. Thomas Paine rebeltyrantsreal Ye that dare oppose, not only tyranny, but the tyrant, stand forth! Thomas Paine tyrantsdaredemocracy The New Testament rests itself for credulity and testimony on what are called prophecies in the Old Testament, of the person called Jesus Christ; and if there are no such things as prophecies of any such person in the Old Testament, the New Testament. Thomas Paine old-testamentjesuschrist It is the madness of folly, to expect mercy from those who have refused to do justice; and even mercy, where conquest is the object, is only a trick of war; the cunning of the fox is as murderous as the violence of the wolf. Thomas Paine violencejusticewar Here then is the origin and rise of government; namely, a mode rendered necessary by the inability of moral virtue to govern the world; here too is the design and end of government, viz. Freedom and security. Thomas Paine inabilitydesigngovernment Governments arise either out of the people or over the people. Thomas Paine arisegovernmentpeople He who is the author of a war lets loose the whole contagion of hell and opens a vein that bleeds a nation to death. Thomas Paine motivationgovernmentwar But if objects for gratitude and admiration are our desire, do they not present themselves every hour to our eyes? Thomas Paine independencegratitudeeye
