Autobiographical Experiences of Isaac Ambrose
Bernard McGinn distinguishes between mystical language, mystical theology,
and mystical experience.^81 Ravishment frequently appears throughout Ambrose’s
corpus and is employed in each of these categories.^82 Further, Ambrose uses the
biblical examples of Peter and Mary to illustrate the richness of the nature of
ravishment as well as a full range of other examples to encourage believers to desire
the delight and enjoyment of spiritual marriage with Jesus. However, ravishment was
more than a term that Ambrose used in describing others but actually something he
himself experienced.
Ambrose was clearly no stranger to the delight and enjoyment of being
ravished by God. Many of his personal experiences occurred during his annual
retreats in May.^83 He used these times to review his diary and pray, fast, read
Scripture, and practice other spiritual duties. On May 20, 1641 he was overwhelmed
by a Trinitarian experience and recorded in his diary under the caption of “Gods love
to the Saints”, “[t]his day the Lord cast one into a spiritual, heavenly, ravishing love
trance; he tasted the goodnesse of God, the very sweetness of Christ, and was filled
with the joyes of the Spirit above measure. O it was a good day, a blessed fore-taste
of Heaven, a love-token of Christ to the Soul.”^84 Significantly, here and in two
additional elaborations on this retreat Ambrose reveals some of the common
(^81) McGinn, Foundations of Mysticism (^) , 307.
(^82) Ravishment appears forty seven times in Looking Unto Jesus; twenty times in
Media (1657); thirteen times in Ultima (1654); six times in Communion with Angels;
four times in Prima (1654); and once in both Redeeming the Time and War with
Devils. I did not make the same detailed accounting of the words rapt or rapture but
they appear less frequently in Ambrose’s wr 83 itings.
See chapter 3 above for a description of his practice and pattern for these annual
periods of withdrawal. (^84) Ambrose, Media (1657), 183. (^)