Winthrop A Model Of Christian Charity Summary
John Winthrop was one of the first settlers of the Massachusetts Bay plantation in 1630. He delivered a sermon called A Model of Christian Charity, while aboard the ship taking these Puritans to the New World “which outlined the principles by which the new colony should be run” (Mulford 237). He uses Bible scripture to reinforce his idea of how their community should be created. As the Bible is the foundation for these Puritans, it is important to see how he uses scripture to create their perfect plantation, or what he describes as a “city upon a hill” (Mulford 244). Winthrop seems to see his plantation’s colonists as the new chosen people and uses the Bible as proof of this. His vision for the community is that their plantation would be looked
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“…And so teacheth us to put a difference between Christians and others. Do good to all, especially to the household of faith” (Mulford 239). Here he seems to believe Christians are superior to others, basically teaching that although one should be kind to everyone, one should be especially kind to one’s fellow Christians. This all goes back to Winthrop’s idea that Massachusetts Bay will be the perfect model for other future plantations. “We shall find that the God of Israel is among us, when ten of us shall be able to resist a thousand of our enemies; when He shall make us a praise and glory that men shall say of succeeding plantations, ‘the Lord make it like that of New England.’ For we must consider that we shall be as a city upon a hill” (Mulford 244). Thus, if Massachusetts Bay is the model for all succeeding plantations, and one should treat other Christians with even more respect than one does anyone else, then their Christian religion is superior and they are God’s chosen
“…And so teacheth us to put a difference between Christians and others. Do good to all, especially to the household of faith” (Mulford 239). Here he seems to believe Christians are superior to others, basically teaching that although one should be kind to everyone, one should be especially kind to one’s fellow Christians. This all goes back to Winthrop’s idea that Massachusetts Bay will be the perfect model for other future plantations. “We shall find that the God of Israel is among us, when ten of us shall be able to resist a thousand of our enemies; when He shall make us a praise and glory that men shall say of succeeding plantations, ‘the Lord make it like that of New England.’ For we must consider that we shall be as a city upon a hill” (Mulford 244). Thus, if Massachusetts Bay is the model for all succeeding plantations, and one should treat other Christians with even more respect than one does anyone else, then their Christian religion is superior and they are God’s chosen