Matthew Poole and continuators on Luke 17:5

5 And the Apostles said unto the Lord, increase our faith.

Tho we be not to seek a Connexion of all those speeches of our Lord, which are recorded by the Evangelists, they sometimes heaping together many of his golden sayings, whithout so much as regard to the order of time when he spake them, or their dependence each on another; yet h[illegible: 1 letter] that wisely observes the preceding discourse for charity, will easily observe an excellent Connexion of this verse with the former. No duty required of Men and Women, more grates upon Flesh and Blood, then this of forgiving injuries, nothing that the most of People find harder to put in practice: so as indeed where there is not a root of Faith, this Fruit will not be found. It is Faith which worketh by love. Till the Soul cometh steadily and fixedly, to agree to those propositions of the Word, where this is required, as the indispensible Will of God. Nay till it comes firmly to rest upon those promises and hope for them, which are made to this duty, finally till it comes to have received Christ, and forgiveness from him, and considers it self bound to forgive, as God for Christs sake hath forgiven it, Eph. 4.32. it will hardly come up to the practice of this duty. Hence it is that unregenerate Men, ar[illegible: 1 letter] usually implacable, Malicious, always studing Revenge. Nay so imperfect are the habits and workings of Faith in Believers, that they often find it very difficult to forgive. The Apostles therefore very properly pray, Lord increase our Faith, after hearing this discourse; others make the Connexion thus, Lord we have now heard thee discoursing our duty as to Love, now increase our Faith, discourse to us something for the increase of that. But the former seemeth to be least strained. By the way we may observe from hence, that as the beginnings, so the increase of our Faith must be from God. In things truly, and spiritually good, without him we can do nothing.