Good christians, however, had endeavoured to keep
themselves clear of such inconsistencies Casaubon has preserved a letter
of Paulinus, Bishop of Nola, in which he rebukes Sulpicius Severus for
having subscribed himself "his humble servant." A part of the letter
runs thus.[39] "Take heed hereafter, how thou, being from a servant
called unto liberty, dost subscribe thyself servant to one, who is thy
brother and fellow servant: for it is a sinful flattery, not a testament
of humility, to pay those honours to a man and to a sinner, which are
due to the one Lord, one Master, and one God."
[Footnote 39: Paulinus flourished in the year 460. He is reported by
Paulus Diacenus to have been an exemplary christian. Among other acts he
is stated to have expended all his revenues in the redemption of
christian captives; and, at last, when he had nothing left in his purse,
to have pawned his own person in favour of a widow's son. The
barbarians, says the same author, struck with this act of unparralleled
devotion to the cause of the unfortunate, released him, and many
prisoners with him without ransom.]
The Quakers also banished from the use of their society all those modes
of expression, which were considered as marks or designations of honour
among men.
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