conferences and draws upon Ambrose’s teaching on this subject.^134 Both Martone
and Jung were highly selective in their usage of Ambrose, reading only Media, his
work on spiritual practices and sanctification. The third dissertation written by Simon
Chan displays the broadest reading of Ambrose, examining four of his works; Prima,
Media, Looking Unto Jesus, and Communion with Angels. Media and Looking Unto
Jesus have already been introduced. Prima is Ambrose’s work on the new birth and
regeneration and Communion with Angels explores how a person might cultivate a
greater awareness of angels and how they minister to a person during the various
periods of life from birth to death. The great strength of Chan’s thesis is his extensive
reading among the primary sources on Puritan practices of meditation. He also
recognizes the significance of heavenly meditation^135 for the Puritans, thus correcting
the oversight of Williams’ thesis. However, far less helpful is the manner in which
Chan understands mysticism that is similar to Brauer though not as narrowly focused
on the triplex via.^136 Chan believes the Puritan emphasis upon preparation can be “the
puritan equivalent to the purgative way.”^137 Another limitation that restricts Chan’s
ability to see greater evidence of mysticism within Puritanism is his use of the
traditional principle of “infused contemplation” as a determinate for mysticism.^138
Therefore, not surprisingly, he concludes “it seems strange that, given the puritans’
intellectual acceptance of mysticism as noted at the beginning of this chapter, the
experience was not as extensively cultivated nor as actively encouraged as would be
(^134) Jung, “Conference: Comm (^) unal Tradition of Puritan Piety,” 112, 123, 126, 128,
- 135
136 Chan, “Puritan Meditative Tradition,” esp. 122-41.^
137 Chan, “Puritan Meditative Tradition,” 118.^
Chan, “Puritan Meditative Tradition,” 71-2, cf. 216. In fact, Chan arranges three
of his chapte (^138) Chan, “Puritan Meditative Tradition,” 130. rs to follow the pattern of purgation, illumination, and union.