Chapter XVII.
To point to the closed sources of water and the causes of the waterfall as the reasons for the error, they must be cut off for the health of the soul: the enumeration of the time in which the ark settled, at the beginning of the year, that is, in the spring season it began and stopped the flood; and it grew and decreased in the same numbers: the opening of the ark, by contemplating through the senses of nature, to reach the knowledge of God; finally, the release of the raven, the expulsion of guilt from the soul to which it does not return after passions have been extinguished.
Now let us consider what the divine Scripture says: 'The fountains of the deep were also stopped, and the windows of heaven were stopped' (Gen. VIII, 2). I do not think it is obscure. For by these causes the flood was diminished, by which it had increased. The fountains of the deep had burst forth, the windows of heaven had been opened, so that the earth might be inundated with water flowing in from all sides. Those from which the origin of the flood had flowed should have been closed, so that its increase might begin to cease. This is the meaning of the letter. However, a more subtle interpretation expresses that a flood of the soul had entered through the vice of the mind and the luxury of the body, so that malice mingled with passion, and passion with malice: when the divine word, the Doctor of the soul that was suffering from long-lasting illness, came to visitation, the causes of the illness needed to be removed first due to the wickedness of debates and the bitterness of passions. For the beginning of medicine is to identify the causes of the illness; so that those things which harm may not be further supplied for the increase of the illness. The law also teaches us (Leviticus 13:5-6); for when leprosy has stopped spreading, it declares the leper's dwelling to be clean. Whatever moves contrary to nature is unclean. Therefore, this is the health of the soul, this is the soundness of the mind: that the flow of error ceases, that guilt is stopped before it creeps in. With the stimulus of guilt and wrongdoing gone, safety is assured, and the unharmed strength of the soul is restored.
60. And he said, 'The ark sat in the seventh month, on the twenty-seventh day of the month' (Gen. VIII, 4). Unless you carefully consider it, even according to the literal interpretation, the understanding of this passage is difficult. And first of all, we must be cautious, so that the repetition of the seventh month does not cause confusion. For it is written that in the six hundredth year, according to Hebrew truth, on the first month, on the twenty-seventh day of the month, the flood began: there were one hundred and fifty days of water infusion, the ark sat on the mountain in the seventh month, on the twenty-seventh day of the month: afterwards, the waters began to recede by the mercy of God, and for one hundred and fifty days the waters diminished, and then the tops of the mountains appeared: then after forty days, Noah opened the holy door of the ark, he sent out the raven and it did not return, he sent out the dove and it returned empty, then after seven days he sent out the dove again and it returned with an olive branch, and then after another seven days he sent out the dove again and it did not return, and that was when Noah realized that all the water had receded.' Thus, the year is shown to be the 601st year of Noah, in the 27th month of the second year. Therefore, to explain clearly, in the same month and on the same day, the earth's equilibrium is restored after the flood, which had been corrupted by the beginning of the floodwaters. For during the time of spring, every field turns green, and the earth produces fruits. Then, the trees begin to bud, and the fruits to sprout. Therefore, the Lord restored and returned the richness and quality. Therefore, in the second month, that is April (for the first month is March, in which the birthday of Justice is celebrated, when the equinox of day and night is considered, that is, on the eighth day, as the Romans believe, or as others, on the fifth day before the kalends of April); in the second month, I say, that is April, on the twenty-seventh day, the flood began. Therefore, the beginning of the year is estimated not according to the use of time, but according to the prerogative of nature; so that because then the hope of the year begins, and the fruits begin to show themselves, then it seems to be the beginning of the year. However, the seventh month according to the number, which is called September, is calculated; because although the year seems to begin from the month of September, as the use of the present Indictions shows (for then the casting of seeds takes place), truly, however, from which the fuller grace begins to show itself, from that the origin of the year is subtracted; and therefore, the one who is thought to be first by another reason is considered the seventh by a different estimation. Therefore, the ark rested in the seventh month, that is, in September, on the twenty-seventh day of the month, on the mountains of Ararat. From that time the flood began to decrease. At the same time, consider that the same numbers by which things begin are also resolved; so the flood began in the second month of the year, on the twenty-seventh day of the month: the flood lasted for 150 days, and then receded for another 150 days: for forty days excessive rain and the eruption of fountains from the heavens flooded the earth, and for another forty days after the mountain tops were visible, on the eleventh month, on the first day of the month, Noah sent forth a raven: thus it is clear that the flood was diminished by the same number by which it was increased. The Scripture teaches us that order must be observed.
61. But as for the door of the ark that the righteous man opened, it has been explained according to the sense of the body. However, according to a higher interpretation, it seems to be said that the senses of the body are like doors. Through them, as it were, a certain comprehension of sensible things enters into our mind. Therefore, our mind seems to perceive through these senses, especially through vision, which is considered superior to all the senses of the body; for it is the light of our dwelling, and through it, as we look at the sky, the earth, the seas, the sun, the moon, and the stars with which the axis is adorned, we understand that God is the maker and ruler of the world, and we believe that these things could not have been made or could not subsist without God, the author, and the creator of so great works.
62. Therefore, through this window the just man releases the raven first. The reason must be sought, and yet it is not hidden as far as the letter is concerned; because most people consider the raven as a harbinger of the future and they observe its voices and investigate its flight. However, a deeper meaning signifies that when the mind of the just man begins to cleanse itself, it first repels those things which are dark, unclean, and reckless. For indeed, all impudence and guilt are dark and feed on the dead, like the raven; but near the light is the virtue which shines through the purity and simplicity of the mind. And so, guilt is released and expelled, and separated from innocence, so that nothing dark remains in the mind of the righteous man. Finally, the raven does not return to the just; because fleeing all guilt is contrary to fairness, nor does it seem to fit with honesty and justice. Finally, the unjust believes that he has escaped from his chains, when the just has separated himself from his company, from a certain flood and familiar corruption, like the raven who, when he could find no dry land anywhere, did not return, but remained.
63. It should also be considered why the crow did not return until the water had dried up from the earth (Gen. 8:7), as if it had indeed returned afterwards. But this is a familiar expression in divine Scripture. For you also have it written in the Gospel about Saint Mary, that Joseph did not know her until she gave birth to a son, and certainly did not know her afterwards (Matt. 1:25). Furthermore, what is the meaning of this expression, that it says, until the water had dried up from the earth, not the earth from the water? And indeed, the use of speech has also been accustomed to have this: but some before us have esteemed it, because it seems that an immoderate force of passions is expressed by this way of speaking; because the soul is perfected by turbulent and stormy passions, but it regains virtue when they diminish and as it were dry up. Therefore, the appearance of blame does not return to the soul of the righteous, as if leaving it dry and dead, and unable to harm it anymore.