then adds this note, “[o]r, thou hast taken mine heart: or, hast ravished, or wounded
mine heart.”^16 The Westminster Annotations based upon the Authorized Version
declares that the word in the LXX conveys, “thou hast excordiated, or unhearted me;
which is the language of great passion.”^17
A further source of inspiration was Christian tradition. Ambrose quotes
Jerome, “[h]e was fairer than the sons of men; his countenance carried in it an hidden
vailed star---like brightness (saith Jerome) which being but a little revealed, it so
ravished his Disciples hearts, that at the first sight thereof they left all, and followed
him: and it so astonished his enemies, that they stumbled and fell to the ground.”^18
Ambrose also mentions Gregory the Great. He does not quote directly any statement
that uses the term ravishment from the “Doctor of Desire” but as Ambrose describes
the benefits of Christ’s Ascension he declares, Christ’s “love was so great and vast,
that for our sakes he moves up and down; this ravished the Spouse, Behold he comes
leaping upon the mountains, and skipping upon the hills, Cant. 2:8. Gregory that
measured his leaps, thus gives them; he first leaps from his Fathers mansion to his
Mothers womb...”^19
Chapters three and four revealed Ambrose’s deep appreciation for the writings
of Bernard of Clairvaux.^20 In addressing the subject of spiritual duties Ambrose
reminds his readers that it is easy to miss God’s presence if a person’s heart is “carnal
(^16) Haak, Dutch Annotations (^) , n.p. (^)
(^17) Westminster Annotations, 3:n.p. cf. Diodoti, Geneva Annotations, n.p.
(^18) Ambrose, Looking Unto Jesus, 273.
(^19) Ambrose, Looking Unto Jesus, 905.
(^20) For Bernard’s usage of ravishment see Petry, Late Medieval Mysticism, 51-4;
Casey, 8. Athirst for God, 227, 290-92; and Gilson, Mystical Theology of Bernard, 106-