19. I think that we have fully followed out the announcement of John the Baptist, whence we began our discourse, when he said to the Jews, “I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance; but He who cometh after me is greater than I, whose shoe’s latchet I am not worthy to unloose: He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire.”63    Luke iii. 16. Moreover, I think also that we have not unsuitably set in order the teaching of the Apostle John, who says that “three bear witness, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood; and these three are one.”64    1 John v. 8. [It is noteworthy that he quotes the Latin formula, and not that (εἰς τὸ ἕν εἰσιν) of the Greek. Now, the Latin, repeating (in verse 8) the formula (hi tres unum sunt) which belongs to the dubious protasis, is so far evidence that such a verse existed in the old Greek. It is important that the Latin is not conformed to the received formula of the apodosis, “the three agree in one.”] And, unless I am mistaken, we have also explained what our Lord says: “John indeed baptized with water, but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost.”65    Acts i. 5. Moreover, I think that we have given no weak reason as the cause of the custom. Let us have a care, although we do that in a subsequent place, that none may think that we are stirring up the present debate on a single article; although this custom even alone ought, among men who have the fear of God, and are lowly, to maintain a chief place.

XIX. Puto nos plene exsecutos praedicationem Baptistae Joannis, unde sermonem sumus exorsi, qui dixit ad Judaeos: Ego quidem vos baptizo aqua in poenitentiam. Qui autem post me venit fortior me est, cujus ego non sum dignus solvere corrigiam calceamenti. Ipse vos baptizabit in Spiritu sancto et igni (Luc. III, 16). Arbitror autem et apostoli Joannis doctrinam nos non inepte disposuisse, qui ait quia tres testimonium perhibent, spiritus et aqua et sanguis, et isti 1204B tres unum sunt (I. Joan. V, 8). Nisi fallor autem, etiam illud explanavimus quod Dominus noster ait: Joannes quidem baptizavit aqua, vos autem baptizabimini in Spiritu sancto (Act. I, 5). Praeterea existimo nos non infirmam rationem reddidisse consuetudinis causam. Tueamur tamen, etsi posteriore loco id facimus, ne qui putet nos unico articulo praesentem altercationem suscitare. Quamquam haec consuetudo etiam sola deberet apud homines timorem Dei habentes et humiles, praecipuum locum obtinere.