5. That ark bore the figure of the Church, as we have said above, which was stricken hither and thither to such a degree by the tumultuous waters. Therefore that deluge which happened under Noah showed forth the figure of the persecution which now lately was poured forth over the whole world. Moreover, by the waters, the cataracts broken forth meeting together on all sides, and growing, were signified the peoples which grew up for the desolation of the Church; as the Apocalypse teaches, saying, “The waters which thou sawest are peoples, and nations, and kingdoms.”16    Rev. xvii. 15.  Moreover, the dove which could not find rest for its feet, bore the likeness of the lapsed, who fell forgetful of the divine announcements, either ignorant in simplicity, or feigning in audacity. Of whom the Lord had intimated the future destruction in the Gospel in these words, saying, “He who heareth my words and doeth them not, I will liken him to a foolish man, who built his house upon the sand: the tempests came and beat upon that house, and it fell; and great was its destruction.”17    Matt. vii. 26, 27. And lest we should seem to have made the comparison inconsiderately of that dove bearing the image of the lapsed, the prophet rebukes the city as a dove, that is, the character of the lapsed, saying, “The dove hearkens not to the voice; that is, the illustrious and redeemed city receives not teaching, and trusted not in the Lord.”18    Zeph. iii. 1, 2, 3, LXX.

V. Illa arca figuram Ecclesiae, sicut superius diximus, portabat, quae verberabatur hinc atque inde aquis insurgentibus tantum. Cataclysmus ergo ille qui sub Noe factus est, figuram persecutionis quae per totum orbem nunc nuper supereffusa, ostendit. Aquis autem, diruptis cataractis, undique convenientibus et excrescentibus significabantur gentes, quae ad vastandam Ecclesiam excreverunt. Sicut Apocalypsis docet, dicens: Aquae quas vidisti, populi sunt, et gentes, et regna (Apoc. XVII, 15). Columba 1209D autem quae pedibus suis requiem habere non poterat, lapsorum imaginem portabat; qui immemores divinarum praedictionum, vel simpliciter ignorantes, vel audacter dissimulantes ceciderunt: quorum Dominus ruinam in Evangelio futuram his verbis significaverat, dicens: Qui audit verba mea et 1210A non facit ea, similabo eum viro stulto qui aedificavit domum suam super arenam: venerunt tempestates, et impegerunt in domum illam, et cecidit, et facta est ruina ejus magna (Matth. VII, 26, 27). Et ne temere comparasse videamur, columbam illam lapsorum imaginem portare; Propheta civitatem ut columbam, hoc est lapsorum personam, increpat, dicens: Columba non exaudit vocem, id est praeclara et redempta civitas non recipit doctrinam, et in Dominum fidens non fuit (Sophon. III, 1, 2).