"The illuminating and divine principle of the equal rights of man (for it has its origin from the Maker of Man), relates not only to the living individuals, but to generations of men succeeding each other. Every generation is equal in rights to the generations which preceded it, by the same rule that every individual is born equal in rights with his contemporary."
Sound familiar?
Everybody has 'off' days. - I think he was 'waxing poetic' when he had that one.
Just goes to show ya that Paine was not a 'dirty little atheist' though, right?