the eternity of hell, I can now with an holy comfort, and humble triumph think upon
death, judgment, hell, and those endless torments, and why? If I am but in Christ, and
am guided by the Spirit of grace, and sanctification; there is no condemnation can
seaze on me.”^32 Clearly the reason for this confident peace is that he is in Christ,
another reminder of the importance of mystical union with Christ.
As might be expected, the meditations on the love to Christ and eternity of
heaven overflow with abundance of bridal language and mystical themes. Terms
such as ravishment, spiritual fire, inflamed and transported by love, and
contemplation of God are common. In the first meditation Ambrose’s language soars
as he first confesses his deep desire for Jesus, “[o] my bleeding heart and broken spirit
doth languish in a thirsty love, panting and gasping after thee” and then he pleads
more intensely “[k]iss me with the kisses of thy mouth, for thy love is better than wine.
O let me bathe my soul in the delicious intimacies of a spiritual communion with thee
my God.” His final desire is that this longing will be translated into an ineffable
resting “love of complacency” with his “dearest Husband.”^33 In the meditation on
heaven Ambrose reminds us “the Saints now dwell upon the contemplation of him
[God], they have time enough to take a full view of him, even Eternity it self.”
Central to this contemplation is the richness of joy, for the saints “enjoy God, so they
enjoy themselves in God.”^34 Therefore, Ambrose seeks a “spiritual eye” so that he
might perceive “the visions of God, and the fruitions of God” so that this might
culminate in a “stronger union betwixt God and my soul ... yea let me enjoy God in
32
33 Ambrose, Media (1657), 253.^
34 Ambrose, Ambrose, MediaMedia (1657), 235. (1657), 260.^