• 17:1 Another thing we think good to admonish thee of, gentle reader, that we have not tied ourselves to an uniformity of phrasing, or to an identity of words, as some peradventure would wish that we had done, because they observe that some learned men somewhere have been as exact as they could that way.
• 17:2 Truly, that we might not vary from the sense of that which we had translated before, if the word signified the same thing in both places [polushma.] (for there be some words that be not of the same sense everywhere) we were especially careful, and made a conscience, according to our duty.
• 17:3 But that we should express the same notion in the same particular word; as, for example, if we translate the Hebrew or Greek word once by purpose, never to call it intent; if one where journeying, never travelling; if one where think, never suppose; if one where pain, never ache; if one where joy, never gladness, etc.;
• 17:4 thus to mince the matter, we thought to savour more of curiosity than wisdom, and that rather it would breed scorn in the atheist than bring profit to the godly reader.
• 17:5 For is the kingdom of God become words or syllables?
• 17:6 Why should we be in bondage to them, if we may be free? use one precisely when we may use another no less fit as commodiously?
• 17:7 A godly father in the primitive time shewed himself greatly moved that one of newfangleness called krabbaton - skimpouV, [A bed. Niceph. Calist. lib. 8. cap. 42.] though the difference be little or none; and another reporteth [S.Hieron. in 4. Jonζ. See S.Aug. epist. 10.] that he was much abused for turning cucurbita (to which reading the people had been used) into hedera.
• 17:8 Now if this happen in better times, and upon so small occasions, we might justly fear hard censure, if generally we should make verbal and unnecessary changings.
• 17:9 We might also be charged (by scoffers) with some unequal dealing towards a great number of good English words.
• 17:10 For as it is written of a certain great philosopher, that he should say, that those logs were happy that were made images to be worshipped; for their fellows, as good as they, lay for blocks behind the fire: so if we should say, as it were, unto certain words, Stand up higher, have a place in the Bible always, and to others of like quality, Get ye hence, be banished for ever, we might be taxed peradventure with S.James's words, namely, To be partial in ourselves, and judges of evil thoughts. [leptologia. adolescia. to spoudazein epi onomasi. See Euseb. proparaskeuh. li. 12. ex Platon.]
• 17:11 Add hereunto, that niceness in words was always counted the next step to trifling, and so was to be curious about names too: also that we cannot follow a better pattern for elocution than God himself; therefore He using divers words in His holy writ, and indifferently for one thing in nature, we, if we will not be superstitious, may use the same liberty in our English versions out of Hebrew and Greek, for that copy or store that he hath given us.
• 17:12 Lastly, we have on the one side avoided the scrupulosity of the Puritans, who leave the old Ecclesiastical words, and betake them to other, as when they put washing for Baptism, and Congregation instead of Church:
• 17:13 as also on the other side we have shunned the obscurity of the Papists, in their Azimes, Tunike, Rational, Holocausts, Prζpuce, Pasche, and a number of such like, whereof their late translation is full, and that of purpose to darken the sense, that since they must needs translate the Bible, yet by the language thereof it may be kept from being understood.
• 17:14 But we desire that the Scripture may speak like itself, as in the language of Canaan, that it may be understood even of the very vulgar.

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