manifest that even His enemies will recognise it. But, as
He was first to come only in obscurity and to be known only of those who
searched the Scriptures.

758. God, in order to cause the Messiah to be known by the good and not to
be known by the wicked, made Him to be foretold in this manner. If the
manner of the Messiah had been clearly foretold, there would have been no
obscurity, even for the wicked. If the time had been obscurely foretold,
there would have been obscurity, even for the good. For their goodness of
heart would not have made them understand, for instance, that the closed mem
signifies six hundred years. But that time has been clearly foretold, and
the manner in types.

By this means, the wicked, taking the promised blessings for material
blessings, have fallen into error, in spite of the clear prediction of the
time; and the good have not fallen in error. For the understanding of the
promised blessings depends on the heart, which calls good that which it
loves; but the understanding of the promised time does not depend on the
heart. And thus the clear prediction of the time, and the obscure prediction
of the blessings, deceive the wicked