Chapter XXVII.
It is promised that a flood of that kind will never happen again, one that corrupts the entire Earth; and this is understood as referring to the emotions of the mind. In the rainbow, which is said to be placed in the clouds, it is not merely a sign of an incomprehensible rainbow, but of the intensity and relaxation of divine power.
101. 'There will not be," he says, "a flood to destroy all the earth' (Gen. IX, 11). It seems doubtful whether it should be understood that there will not be a flood to destroy the earth; for floods are accustomed to do this. Or rather, whether there will not be such a flood by which the whole earth may be destroyed, which is implied by the subsequent words, 'all the earth shall not be destroyed.' For it is clear that there will indeed be floods, but not such as to be able to destroy the whole earth.'
However, this sense has a deeper meaning, namely that the future is already seen by the providence of the Lord, so that the flood of bodily passions is not so great that every soul perishes. And indeed, I dare not say that the Lord has decreed that no soul can completely perish. What do we say about the murderer? What about the murderer? What about the adulterer? What about the prevaricator? For what parts of the soul do we reserve forgiveness for him? Hence, I think that it is more likely that the Lord God provokes, so that even if someone has other lesser passions, they do not completely despair of divine grace, nor do they doubt in every way that they will live. But even if someone is luxurious and cannot avoid the pursuit of luxury, let them strive to restrain themselves from adultery; let there be enjoyment of feasting, but not of debauchery. Even if someone is known to be greedy, who plundered the belongings of others, ill-treated orphans, and exploited widows, let them repent and restore what they have taken. In the end, Zacchaeus deserved forgiveness because he not only promised to restore what he took, but also to give four times as much to those from whom he had taken something, and to donate half of his estate to the poor.
103. Let us also consider more carefully what he says: I will set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be a sign of the everlasting covenant between me and the earth: and when I shall cover the sky with clouds, my bow shall appear in the cloud, and I will remember my covenant (Gen. IX, 13 et seq.). For it is not, as many think, the bow which they say is made by men, by which certain signs of rain are declared, in which different colors are represented, shining with the brightness of the sun's rays, sometimes glowing red, sometimes shining with a brighter light: hence the future rain is signified, because a certain inconstancy of clearness is shown by a variegated appearance. Some people call this a rainbow: but far be it from us to say that this rainbow is of God. For this rainbow, which is called the iris, is usually seen during the day and does not appear at night. Even during the day itself, if the air is covered with dark clouds, it is not seen, unless perhaps when the heavier clouds begin to dissipate.
104. Therefore, let us see that the fact that the bow with which the arrows are shot is sometimes drawn tight and sometimes relaxed, signifies a certain extension and relaxation, by which the whole is not completely broken by excessive extension; but there is a certain measure and a certain test of divine power. Therefore, the invisible power of God, which moderates the appearance of extending and relaxing this bow according to divine will, mercy, and power, does not allow everything to be confused by excessive loosening or to be broken by excessive bursting. Therefore, He says that He places the bow in the clouds, because Divine Providence's assistance is most necessary when the clouds gather into storms and tempests. And thus He says, 'I will set My bow in the clouds, I will not set the arrow.' For the bow is the instrument of shooting the arrow. Therefore, it is not the bow itself that wounds, but the arrow. And for this reason, the Lord places the bow in the cloud rather than the arrow, that is, not something that wounds, but something that signifies terror and is not accustomed to have the effect of a wound.