the light." He cannot really love Christ and the Gospel, and
will not honestly, and with his whole heart, seek Christ by faith and embrace His Go=^pel, until he is renewed The reason of this is, that every unconverted person shrinks from having his ungodhness exposed. He does not wish his wicked way-* to be discovered, and his utter want of true righteousness and true preparedness for Jeath, judgment, and eternity to be put to shame. He does not "like his deeds to be reproved," and therefore he shrinks from the light, and keeps away from Christ.
The apphcation of this verse must doubtless be made with caution. In the case of many unconverted persons, its truth is plain as noon-day. They love sin and hate true religion, and get away from the Gospel, the Bible, and religious people as much as they possibly can. In the case of others, its truth is not so apparent at first sight. There are many unconverted persons who profess to like the Gospel, and seem to have no prejudice aa^ainst it, and to hear it with pleasure, and yet remain unconverted. Yet even in the case of those persons the text would be found perfectly true if their hearts were really known. With all their seeming love to the light they do not really love it with all their heart. There is something or other which they love better, and which keeps them back from Christ. There is something or other which they do not want to give up, and do not hke to be discovered and reproved. Man's eyes may not detect it ; but the eyes of God can. The general principle of the text will be found true at last of every hearer of the Gos- pel who dies unconverted. He did not thoroughly love the light. He did not really want to be changed. He did not truly and honestly seek salvation. All this wos true of the Jews in the time of Nicodemus, and it is no less true of all mankind to whom the Gospel comes in the present day. Right hearts will always come to Christ. If a man keeps away from the light, his heart is wrong. He is one who "doeth evil."
There is a curious difiference between the Greek word trans- lated " doeth" in this verse and the one translated " doeth" in the next verse. Stier and Alford think the difference instructive and meaning. They say that the Greek word used for " doeth evil," means the habit of action without fruit or result. On the con- trary, the Greek word for "doing truth," signifies the true doing of good, good fruit, good that remains.
21. — [He tJiat doeth truth, &c.] This verse, it is needless to say, is closely connected with the preceding one. The preceding verse describes the unconverted man. The verse before us de- scribes the converted man.
The expression, " He that doeth truth," signifies, the person