But I have greater witness than that of John: for the works which the Father hath given me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me.
Ver. 36. The works which the Father hath given me] Lo, Christ accounts his work a gift. So John 17:4 .
The works that I do, bear witness] Let our works likewise speak for us, Matthew 5:16, as they did for the primitive Christians; of whom Athenagoras (their ambassador to the emperor) boldly saith, Ουδεις χριστιανος πονηρος ει μη υποκρινηται τον λογον. No Christian is evil mannered unless it be such as dissemble themselves to be Christians. And Justin Martyr confesseth of himself, that beholding the piety of Christians' life and constancy in death, he gathered that it was the true religion that they professed. Non aliunde noscibiles quam de emendatione vitiorum, saith Tertullian of the Christians of his time. And Chrysostom speaketh of some in his days, whose lives were angelic, they so walked up to their principles.