self hereafter again and again, many and many a time in those delicious intimacies of
thy Spiritual marriage.”^195
Ambrose is consistent with other Puritan writers in distinguishing between
union and communion with Christ, “[u]nion is the ground of our communion with
Christ; and the nearer our union, and the greater our communion.”^196 This
relationship begins at conversion and often was referred to as the “first espousal.”^197
Conversely, it was not fully realized until the person died, “[w]hen first a soul
believes, it is contracted to Christ, when the soul is sentenced to glory, then is the
solemnitie, and consummation of the marriage.”^198 This significant foundation
created a highly relational and affective understanding of what it meant to be in
communion with Jesus Christ. Ambrose asks the question, “[w]hat is this communion
with Christ, but very heaven aforehand.” Ambrose then cites Canticles 2:4, “we are
brought into Christs banqueting-house” and then continues to expand on what it
means to be in communion with Christ, “[o]h it’s an happy thing to have Christ dwell
in our hearts, and for us to lodge in Christs bosome! Oh its an happy thing to
maintaine a reciprocal communication of affairs betwixt Christ and our souls!”^199
This reflects the mutual and dialogical nature of the covenant fellowship between
Jesus Christ and the church or individual believer. Ambrose parallels all those
previously explored in this chapter by ascribing the feminine nature to the soul, “[o]
my soul, my soul! what can we say of such a creature? to summe up all; she is in
(^195) Ambrose, Media (^) (1657), 236. (^)
(^196) Ambrose, Looking Unto Jesus, 913. Ambrose includes a detailed summary of John
Owen’s Communion with God in his funeral sermon for Lady Margaret Houghton,
Redeeming the Time 197 , 11- 12
Ambrose, Ultima in Prima, Media, & Ultima (1654), 74, cf. 62 where the same
language is used with a reference to Bernard. 198
199 Ambrose, Ambrose, Looking Unto JesusLooking Unto Jesus, 1077., 40.