of God, to whom I am to approve my self in my particular calling.”^22 This is a vital
testimony of the Puritan practice to always balance contemplation and action.
Ambrose then turns his attention to deliberate meditations. Once again his
dependence upon Bishop Hall is evident. Every meditation is comprised of three
parts; the entrance which serves to prepare the person’s heart, the proceedings which
are the major portion to guide the person in processing the subject matter, and the
conclusion that contains a thanksgiving and suggested singing a psalm so that the
“soul close up it self with much sweetness and Spiritual contentment.”^23
Significantly, Ambrose quotes Bernard as he introduces the proceedings section,
“[c]ontemplationis accessus duo sunt, unus in intellectu, alter in affectu, unus in
lumine, alter in fevore.” Meaning “holy contemplation has two forms of ecstasy, one
in the intellect, the other in the will; one of enlightenment, the other of fervor.”
Ambrose summarizes this insight in declaring “[t]he proceedings of our Meditation
are in this Method. 1. To begin in the understanding, 2. To end in the affections.”^24
Following this entrance to meditation, the understanding section of proceeding
includes seven steps of description, distribution, causes, effects, opposites,
comparatives, and testimonies.^25 The second portion on the affections moves a person
through six steps of relish, complaint, wish, confession, petition, and confidence to
22
For a summary of Cotton Mather’s practice of ejaculatory prayer see Mather,^ Ambrose, Redeeming the Time, 19. cf. Ultima in Prima, Media, Ultima (1654), 40. Diary of
Cotton Mather, 1:81-4. On the practice and cautions for using ejaculatory meditation
se 23 e Ranew, Solitude Improved, 204-9, 344-7.
24 Ambrose, Media (1657), 222-3. This reference appears only in the 1657 edition.^
25 Ambrose, Media (1657), 222. The Bernard citation is SCC 49.4.^
While Ambrose lists nine steps in his initial instructions, all three samples provided
have only seven steps. Compare Ambrose, Media (1657), 222 with 223-8. Huntley
appropriately notes, “even Hall in his own practice rarely followed the ‘steps’ he set down in Art of Divine Meditation.” Bishop Joseph Hall, 7.