We read in the first book of Kings [Samuel] that because of the damage done to the consecrated ark the foreigners were smitten on their hinder parts, so that they even suffered the dreadful fate of being gnawed alive by mice.^[1] This remains a perennial reproach on them, because no other was punished in this way. Similarly he afflicts sinners in the afterlife . . . they are so devoured by mice when the devil’s hostile troop surrounds them.

For this reason he [Paul] says, To the Jews I became as a Jew, to those without law, as one without law, to those that are under the law, as under the law.^[1] Thus God does too, as in the case of the wise men, he does not conduct them by an angel, nor a prophet, nor an apostle, nor an evangelist, but how? By a star.^[2] For as their art made them conversant with these, he made use of such means to guide them. So [he does] in the case of the oxen that drew the ark. If it goes up by the way of his own coast, then he has done this great evil to us, as their prophets suggested. Do these prophets then speak the truth? No; but he refutes and confounds them out of their own mouths.

We know that when the ark of the Lord was returned from the land of the Philistines to the land of the Israelites, it was placed on a cart. They yoked cows that had recently borne young to the cart, and shut up their calves at home. And the cows went straight on over the way that leads to Beth-shemesh, keeping to the one road, lowing as they went; they turned neither to the right nor to the left. What do these cows represent but the faithful of the church? When they ponder the sacred precepts, it is as if they are carrying the ark of the Lord placed upon them. We should also notice that they are described as having recently borne young. Many who are inwardly set on the way toward God are externally bound by their unspiritual feelings, but they do not turn aside from the right road because they are carrying the ark of God in their hearts.

The cows were going to Beth-shemesh, a name meaning house of the sun. The prophet says, For you who fear the Lord, the sun of righteousness shall rise.^[1] If we are moving on toward the dwelling place of the everlasting sun, we do right not to turn aside from the route toward God on account of our unspiritual feelings. We must consider with all our energy that the cows yoked to God’s cart moan as they go, lowing from their depths, but do not turn aside from their road. So surely must God’s preachers, so must all believers within holy church do. They must be compassionate toward their neighbors through their love, while not deviating from God’s way through their compassion.