A Model of Christian Charity
John Winthrop
The name of the document/sermon being analyzed is “A Model of Christian Charity” by John Winthrop. It was written on board the ship Arbella on route to America/ The New World where they were to set up a colony. The colony of Massachusetts, a colony of puritans (1). An analysis of the sermon “A Model of Christian Charity” reveals to us how this piece of document was very important for creating and maintaining the Massachusetts colony and for the puritans.
The sermon in itself is sort of a rulebook or a foundation for the puritans for which to build their society upon. In it he describes and tackles many of the social issues and argues how the puritan way is the right way. The path which god wants
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It gives the society something to go by. It provides them with an idea of what to tolerate, what no to. How they should govern themselves and why it’s important that they succeed. The puritans wanted a society where everyone’s main goal was to worship and focus their lives on the word of god. They wanted to become the blessed one and be the role model for how to worship god the right way. They weren’t particularly in joy of the Anglican beliefs and customs.
Winthrop’s sermon helps reiterate the puritan’s ideology and at the same time give guidelines on how to make a successful society and provides them with reason on why they have to succeed. They were an outcast in England and if their society here in the New World failed too then they as a group have failed. They have failed to show why their way is right and also they have failed god. And according to Winthrop, you wouldn’t want to fail god.
The sermon gives out important information on how to live and build their society. He asks the rich to donate to the poor and asks the poor to be obedient, patient and overall be disciplined. Winthrop asks the people to live in communion and work towards a better society and not be entangled with the worldly attractions. He preaches a society of Community, Unity and Charity. These are very vital aspects a society that is quite isolated from the rest of the world needs to survive on its
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As they cannot afford to fail, then all measure to succeed are open and equally justified. If that means to police each other or to execute someone for the crime that they did. Working towards a common goal. And a common goal that they have the determination to achieve because failing means being the subject and reason for shame and embarrassment across the world for all Christians and even more, the all-powerful and unforgiving wrath of God himself.
Therefore the sermon given by John Winthrop is very powerful in the creation of the Massachusetts colony and provides the determination needed for it to succeed along with details on how to live and serve god the right way. The sermon helps establish the foundation for which the society should be build up on and how to make sure the society doesn’t walk away from the same beliefs and thereby ensuring its