asceticism typically experienced greater contemplation and Ambrose’s understanding
of the role of spiritual practices in guiding a person into communion with God
certainly confirms this. He declares, “[i]n right performance of Duties, we come to
have fuller Union with Christ, and by this coming to him, we come to, and see the
Father by him.”^223 Earlier in the same work he reminds his readers, “[b]ecause in
Duties they have converses, and communion with God....The Saints look upon Duties
(the Word, Sacraments, Prayers, & c.) as Bridges to give them a passage to God, as
Boats carry them into the bosom of Christ, as means to bring them into more intimate
communion with their heavenly Father, and therefore are they so much taken with
them.”^224 Further, these spiritual duties that were dependent upon a person’s union
with Christ could also be practiced in a contemplative manner. Clearly Ambrose’s
intent was for his listeners to deepen and enrich their communion with Christ through
them. Therefore, contemplative awareness cultivated by spiritual duties created a
deepening experience and enjoyment of spiritual marriage between the person and
Jesus. It is now possible to summarize and assess the continuities and discontinuities
between Isaac Ambrose and Bernard, Calvin, and other Puritans.
Continuities and Discontinuities in the Study of Spiritual Marriage
One of the critical issues regarding spiritual marriage in this chapter is how
this metaphor functioned in Ambrose as well as other Puritans. For Bernard union
with God was primarily a relational experience that emphasized love. Calvin, the
Puritans, and Isaac Ambrose, all shared the same theology of spiritual marriage and
maintained there were two unique components. Spiritual marriage began when a
person was united with Christ that was associated with the new birth of salvation
223
224 Ambrose, Ambrose, Media Media (1657), 33. This significant topic will be ex(1657), 74.^ plored in chapter 4.