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them away from God, and God
Himself is the enemy of those whose covetousness He confounds.

Thus as the significance of the word enemy is dependent on the ultimate end,
the righteous understood by it their passions, and the carnal the
Babylonians; and so these terms were obscure only for the unrighteous. And
this is what Isaiah says: Signa legem in electis meis,101 and that Jesus
Christ shall be a stone of stumbling. But, "Blessed are they who shall not
be offended in him." Hosea 14:9, says excellently, "Where is the wise? and
he shall understand what I say. The righteous shall know them, for the ways
of God are right; but the transgressors shall fall therein."

572. Hypothesis that the apostles were impostors. The time clearly, the
manner obscurely. Five typical proofs.                1600 prophets.
400 scattered.
-----
2000
573. Blindness of Scripture.--"The Scripture," said the Jews, "says that we
shall not know whence Christ will come (John 7:27, and 12:34)--The Scripture
says that Christ abideth for ever, and He said that He should die."
Therefore, says Saint John, they believed not, though He had done so many
miracles, that the word of Isaiah might be fulfilled: "He hath blinded
them," etc.

574. Greatness.--Religion is so great a thing that it is right that those
who will not take the trouble to seek it, if it be obscure, should be
deprived of it. Why, then, do any complain, if it be such as can be found by
seeking?

575. All things work together for good to the elect, even the obscurities of
Scripture; for they honour them because of what is divinely clear. And all
things work together for evil to the rest of the world, even what is clear;
for they revile such, because of the obscurities which they do not
understand.

576. The general conduct of the world towards the Church: God willing to
blind and to enlighten.--The event having proved the divinity of these
prophecies, the rest ought to be