Vol. 2

!256 ST. MARK.Whoever with faith expects and waits for thekingdom of God, exposes himself boldly to thegreatest perils of this present life. God knows howto find proper persons for his work, how dangeroussoever it may be, when he designs to employ themtherein. None but Christ could have found friendsof condition after such a death ;because none but hecould give himself such by the sovereign power whichhe had over hearts. None of Christ's known and professeddisciples have any share in his burial,becauseit was requisite there should be unsuspected witnessesof the certainty of his death ;any thing to do in it,nor have his apostlesbecause by their cowardice theydeserved to be deprived of this honour; nor evenPeter himself, because he was taken up in bewailinghis own death." 44. And Pilate marvelled if he were alreadydead :and, calling unto him the centurion, he askedhim whether he had been any while dead."The time of Christ's death is not subjected to thegeneral and common laws, but solely to the will ofGod, and even to the power of the person who dies.How wonderful is the wisdom of God in the methodswhich it takes, almost in an imperceptible manner, tohave witnesses of the truth of his Son's death, andto obviate the objections of those who were to deny it" 45. And when he knew it of the centurion, hegave the body to Joseph."This faithful disciple is paid in ready money forhis fidelity and courage, by his receiving as a gift thevictim of God, the treasure of the church, the sacredbud from whence salvation is to spring, and the preciousgrain of wheat which contains the kingdom of