34 Think not that I am come to send peace on earth : I came not to send peace, but a sword.
35 For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.
36 And a man's foes shall be they of his own household.
37 He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me ; and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.
38 And he that taketh not his cross, and folio weth after me, is not worthy of me.
39 He that findeth his life shall lose it : and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.
40 He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me.
41 He tliat receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward ; and he that receiv- eth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a right- eous man's reward.
42 And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward.
In these verses the great Head of the Church winds up His first charge to those whom He sends forth to make known His Gospel. He declares three great truths, which form a fitting conclusion to the whole discourse.
In the first place. He bids us remember that His Gos- pel luillnot cause peace and agreement ivherever it comes, "I came not to send peace, but a sword." The object of His first coming on earth was not to set up a millen- nial kingdom in which all would be of one mind, but to bring in the Gospel, which would lead to strifes and divisions. We have no right to be surprised, if we see this continually fulfilled. We are not to think it strange, if the Gospel rends asunder families, and causes estrange- ment between the nearest relations. It is sure to do so in many cases, because of the deep corruption of man's