and worldly.” Furthermore, even when a person does experience God these times are
relatively brief. Here he quotes Bernard’s popular rara hora brevis mora (how rare
the time and how brief the stay).^21 Chapter 4 also indicated that Ambrose quotes
Bernard when he speaks of contemplation. In describing deliberate meditation he
cites another Latin reference from Bernard when he speaks of the two types of
contemplations in relation to God, the mind and the affections.^22 This reference will
figure significantly later in the examination of the dynamics of ravishment in
Ambrose.
Turning to Protestant sources Ambrose cites Caracciolus as an example of
ravishment, “[o]h if men did not know what ravishing sweetnesse were in the ways of
God, they could not but embrace them, and esteem one dayes society with Jesus
Christ (as Caracciolus did) better than all the gold in the world.”^23 While
Caracciolus was a convert to Calvinism, Ambrose does not quote any specific
references to ravish from Calvin even though the word is not uncommon in him.^24
Another reference to ravishment was drawn from Patrick Forbes (1564-1635), bishop
of Aberdeen. The specific citation is from his commentary on the Book of Revelation
14:3.^25 Ambrose declares that,
(^21) Ambrose, Media (^) (1657), 36. The reference is to Bernard, (^) SCC 23.15 but with a
slight variation, rara hora et parva mora. cf. SCC 85.13. John Owen attributes the
identical phrase to Bernard. Reuver reports that Bernard borrowed this phrase from John of FécaHoly Spirit in Prayer, 330 and Glory of Christmp and that it , 293. De
was common among the Dutch Pietists. 22 Sweet Communion, 53n147.
23 Ambrose, Media (1657), 222. The reference is to SCC 49.4.^
Ambrose, Looking Unto Jesus, 481. This is likely Galeacius Caracciolus (1517-
1586), an Italian nobleman. 24
For Calvin’s use of ravishment see Institutes, 3.2.41; Comm. Ps 5:11; 19:1; 22:9-10;
89:6; 104:3; 119:97, 119; etc. For Luther’s use of ravishment see Oberman, Dawn of
the Reformation (^25) Forbes of Corse, , 126Exquisite Commentarie upon Revelation-54. (^) , 131-2.