.Nw.MTExOQ

[note-- I have transcribed what looks like "ye" as "the" as that is obviously the meaning, though it should more correctly be þe, with a thorn, I suppose] Matt 24th 45th Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour After all the notes & commentary that have been written on the holy scriptures of the N:T: [New Testament] there are stil many passages w/ [which] when more closely examin'd, will appear to import otherwise than w/ if taken for their meaning, by the generality of men, I speak not only of the unlearned & ignorant multitude, but of such as have been sufficiently conversant in the holy book & suppose yourselves to have attained a good degree of understanding in it. I suppose much of this may justly be imputed to the want of a good translation, which I'm sure ours (however at first attempt[?] had[?], & sines[?] corrected & amended by naj[?] & conp[?] -dsring[?] man) is not & may somehow or other be thought worthy the care of the church to be a -gain debt[?] about, & brought to (at least) some further degree of perfection, loe[?] ice[?] what pains has been taken in the C- [Church] of Rome about their Vulgar Latin Edition, how often it has been reinjed[?] by Popes and Councils & stil purged of 100s & 1000s of errors and yet may afford suffi- -cient worth to any ye[?] can find only & will under- -take to examine if differences fro the original I have wondred sometimes to find the perspicuity & plainness of the scripture made an argument of the