Matthew Poole and continuators on Philippians 2:15

15 That ye may be blameless and harmeless , the sons of God without rebuke in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation , among whom ye shine as lights in the world :

That ye behave your selves so, that none can justly reproach you, Luk. 1.6. and though you cannot altogether put to silence foolish Men, Ioh. 15.25. 1 Pet. 2.15. yet they cannot have any just cause to stain your reputation.

But you may be found sincere, simple, void of guile, Mat. 10.16. Ioh. 1.47. Rom. 16.19. 1 Pet. 2.1. with 1.14.

Without such spots and blemishes as are inconsistent with your Adoption, or Sonship, Eph. 5.27.

Sons of God, in regard of their Relation, should be carefull asmuch as may be, that they do not expose themselves to the biting reproofs of those ca[illegible: 1 letter] ping Neighbours who are not of their Father's Family, Cant. 4.7. Mat. 5.48. Eph. 1.4. Iude, v. 24.

But shew by their lying in wickedness, 1 Ioh. 5.19. and the uncured spots; yea, even Plague sores upon them who have notoriously corrupted themselves; that they are a perverse, crooked, untoward, and adulterous generation, Deut. 32.5. Psal. 125.5. Mat. 12.39. Act. 2.4. & 13.8, 10.

In conversing with such a sort of Men, ye either do, or ought unanimously to shew your selves to be light in the Lord, Mat. 5.14, 16. Eph. 5.8, 15. Enlightned by the Sun of righteousness, Mal. 4.2. to give a more clear light, that however the uncivil wicked would bespatter you, and cast reproach upon you in the necessary exercises of Religion: yet you not suffering as Murtherers, Thieves, Busibodies, or, &c. 1 Pet. 4.4, 16. you will then, especially if Christ's faithfull Embassadours, shew your selves to be not such Lantern, or Torch-bearers as accompanied treacherous Iudas, Ioh. 18.3. (however the ill Men you live among, may reckon you no better) but such light-bearers under Christ (the Seventy use the word for Stars, Gen. 1.14. Dan. 12.3. Rev. 1.16, 20. as irradiate the World, not an House, as a Candle doth, but the World, as Stars do, Rev. 12.1.

Marginal references: Or, sincere; Or, shine ye