1 Samuel 6:3

But they said: If you send back, they said, the ark of the God of Israel to its place, etc. And we, seeing the vengeance of the impious, and washing our hands in the blood of sinners, if we decide to send back the ark of heavenly grace to its place, that is, into the hearts of those neighbors who once had it and lost it by straying, advising them to repent, it must be done with utmost care that we do not seek to do this void of virtues. But according to the one who said: And his grace towards me was not in vain (1 Cor. XV), let us hasten first to act rightly ourselves and then instruct others. In this way, we will be able to escape the plagues of those who, having received the gift of knowledge, do not know how to repay the bestower for the sins they have committed. Also, it is universally advisable for the Church that the grace of faith, which is, the fruit of virtues among the nations, should not be found empty at the end of the world, and thus return to Israel for salvation; but as it came, so it should return, given to us through great teachers and return to them by means of great teachers.

3. What is an empty ark, but divine knowledge without good works? For to send back an empty ark is to bear no fruit of good works from the knowledge of spiritual mysteries. The ark is therefore sent back empty when the mind of one coming to the faith already desires to pass over to the eternal contemplation of God, and yet takes no care to labor at good works in this life. By the voice of the preachers, therefore, it is commanded that when the ark is sent away, it not be released empty, so that if anyone who is faithful does not multiply good works, he should not presume to trust that he will pass over to the eternal knowledge of God Almighty. But the ark is not sent away empty if what is owed is rendered to it for sin. What is owed to the ark for sin, but the affliction of devout penance? Here it should be noted that he speaks to those who were bitten by mice. For who are bitten by mice, but those who, placed in the illumination of the catholic faith, recall that they have done wicked things before or after their knowledge of that same faith? For one who committed no crimes before the grace of regeneration, and retained the gift of regeneration through a worthy manner of life, indeed owes something to the ark, but does not owe it anything for sin. He is compelled to render the fruit of good works through knowledge of the divine Word, but he is not pressed by any debt of satisfaction for penance arising from crimes he rejected. Therefore, let those who are still being bitten pay their debt to the ark for sin, so that for the memory of their crimes they may restore a humble offering of penance to Almighty God. And then indeed they are healed, because the wound of conscience is closed over when the afflicted mind is raised up through penance to the assurance of hoped-for pardon. Then also they know why the hand of the Lord does not withdraw from them, because then they understand the benefit of compunction, that is, the good of afflicted flesh, when they rejoice ineffably in the confidence of divine forgiveness. For what is the pain of penance but the distress of a wound from the striking of demons? For as if in the pain of a wound still sharply stinging, that converted man was sighing when he said: "I was turned in my anguish while the thorn was fastened in me" (Psalm 31:4). For what does "anguish" suggest but the affliction of penance? But he declares…