Let not men believe, that we give not respect enough to God, in that we call him by the word thou, which is nevertheless far otherwise.

For I seem to myself (may be by the effect of custom) more to honor his divine majesty, in calling him after this manner, than if I should call him after the manner of men, who are so delicate in their forms of speech." Erasmus also in the treatise, which he wrote on the impropriety of substituting you for thou, when a person addresses an individual, states that this strange substitution originated wholly in the flattery of men.
SECT.

II.
_Other alterations in the language of the Quakers--they address one another by the title of friends--and others by the title of friends and neigbours, or by their common names--the use of sir and madam abolished--also of master or mister--and of humble servant--also of titles of honor--reasons of this abolition--example of Jesus Christ._ Another alteration, that took place in the language of the Quakers, was the expunging of all expressions from their vocabulary, which were either superfluous, or of the same flattering tendency as the former.
In addressing one another, either personally or by letter, they made use of the word friend, to signify the bond of their own union, and the character, which man, under the christian dispensation, was bound to exhibit in his dealings with his fellow-man.

They addressed each other also, and spoke of each other, by their real names.

If a man's name was John, they called him John; they talked to him as John, and added only his sir-name to distinguish him from others.
In their intercourse with the world they adopted the same mode of speech: for they addressed individuals either by their plain names, or they made use of the appellations of friends or neighbours.
They rejected the words sir or madam, as then in use.