Latin BIBLES, how numerous soever, may be all reduced to three classes; the ancient vulgate, called also Italica, translated from the Greek Septuagint; the modern vulgate, the greatest part of which is done from the Hebrew text; and the new Latin translations, done also from the Hebrew text, in the 16th century. We have nothing remaining of the ancient vulgate, used in the primitive times in the western churches, but the Psalms, Wisdom, and Ecclesiastes. Nobilius has endeavoured to retrieve it from the works of the ancient Latin fathers; but it was impossible to do it exactly, because most of the fathers did not keep close to it in their citations.
As to the modern vulgate, there is a vast number of editions very different from each other. Cardinal Ximenes has inserted one in the Bible of Complutum, corrected and altered in many places. R. Stephens and the doctors of Louvain have taken great pains in correcting the modern vulgate.
The best edition of Stephens's Latin Bible is that of 1540, reprinted in 1545, in which are added on the margin the various readings of several Latin manuscripts which he had consulted. The doctors of Louvain revised the modern vulgate after R. Stephens; and added the various readings of several Latin manuscripts. The best of the Louvain editions are those at the end of which are added the critical notes of Francis Lucas of Bruges.
All these reformations of the Latin Bible were made before the time of Pope Sixtus V. and Clement VIII. since which people have not dared to make any alterations, excepting in comments and separate notes. The correction of Clement VIII. in 1592, is now the standard throughout all the Romish churches: that pontiff made two reformations; but it is the first of them that is followed. From this the Bibles of Plantin were done, and from those of Plantin all the rest; so that the common Bibles have none of the after corrections of the same Clement VIII. It is a heavy charge that lies on the editions of Pope Clement, viz. that they have some new texts added, and many old ones altered, to countenance and confirm what they call the Catholic doctrine; witness that celebrated passage of St. John, tres sunt, &c. There are a great number of Latin Bibles of the third class, comprehending the versions from the originals of the sacred books made within these 200 years. The first is that of Santes Pagninus, a Dominican, under the patronage of Pope Leo X. printed at Lyons, in 4to, in 1527, much esteemed by the Jews. This the author improved in a second edition. In 1542, there was a beautiful edition of the same at Lyons, in folio, with scholia, published under the name of Michael Villanovonus, i. e. Michael Servetus, author of the scholia. Those of Zurich have likewise published an edition of Pagninus's Bible in 4to; and R. Stephens reprinted it in folio, with the vulgate, in 1557, pretending to give it more correct than in the former editions. There is also another edition of 1586, in four columns, under the name of Vatablus: and we find it again in the Hamburg edition of the Bible in four languages.
In the number of Latin Bibles is also usually ranked the version of the same Pagninus corrected, or rather rendered literal, by Arius Montanus; which correction being approved of by the doctors of Louvain, &c. was inserted in the Polyglot Bible of Philip II. and since in that of London. There have been various editions of this in folio, 4to, and 8vo; to which have been added the Hebrew text of the Old Testament, and the Greek of the New. The best of them all is the first, which is in folio, 1571.
Since the Reformation there have been several Latin versions of the Bible from the originals by Protestants. The most esteemed are those of Munster, Leo Juda, Castalio, and Tremellius; the three last whereof have been reprinted various times. Munster published his version at Basel in 1534, which he afterwards revised; he published a correct edition in 1546. Castalio's fine Latin pleases most people; but there are some who think it too much affected; the best edition thereof is that in 1573. Leo Juda's version, altered a little by the divines of Salamanca, was added to the ancient Latin edition, as published by R. Stephens, with notes, under the name of Vatablus's Bible, in 1545. It was condemned by the Parisian divines, but printed with some alterations by the Spanish divines of Salamanca. That of Junius and Tremellius is preferred, especially by the Calvinists, and has undergone a great number of editions.
One may add a fourth class of Latin Bibles, comprehending the vulgate edition corrected from the originals. The Bible of Isidorus Clarus is of this number: that author, not being contented with restoring the ancient
ancient Latin copy, has corrected the translator in a great number of places, which he thought ill rendered. Some Protestants have followed the same method; and among others, Andrew and Luke Osander, who have each published a new edition of the vulgate, corrected from the originals.