Matthew Poole and continuators on Philemon 1:5

5 Hearing of thy love and faith , which thou hast towards the Lord Jesus , and toward all saints .

Thy love to God and to the Saints, ver. 7. the Apostle putteth Love here before Faith, contrary to the true order of those spiritual habits, for Love must be the Fruit of Faith which worketh by love, and to his own order in other places, 1 Tim. 2 7. 2 Tim. 1.13. possibly to shew us that he spake of that Love, which is conjoyned with Faith, and of that Faith, which sheweth its truth by Love.

Faith in Christ.

That Faith which thou hast in Christ, reposing thy confidence in him for Salvation, and that love which worketh in thee towards Christ.

And is seen in thy readiness to do good to all Christians, such especially as are Saints indeed, because thy goodness extendeth not to God, thou shewest it to the Saints that are in the Earth, and to the excellent like David, Psal. 16.3.

Marginal references: Eph. 1.15. [illegible: 1 word] 1.4.