And she came to him in the evening, carrying a bough of an olive tree, with green leaves, in her mouth. Noe therefore understood that the waters were ceased upon the earth.
Augustine of Hippo
The secular powers often and for a long time spare the wicked from corporal punishment and relieve some of them from their harassments, but the hearts of holy men never have any respite until the end of the world from the sinful conduct of men. It is thus we have the fulfillment of what the apostle said, as I cited it, that "all who will live godly in Christ suffer persecution." Their suffering is more bitter in proportion to its inwardness. This is so until a man passes over the deluge where the ark shelters the raven and the dove.
Imported from an open dataset — not yet checked against the printed edition.