Analyzing the Major Theme in A Model of Christian Charity

Analyzing the Major Theme in “A Model of Christian Charity” John Winthrop’s “A Model of Christian Charity” illustrates America’s status as the leading nation of the world and the unity of the Americans community. Throughout his speech, Winthrop talked about the bonds and ties, during his speech he talked about the same theme using different words in order to reinforce the idea that a successful colony must keep absolute unity and conformity. The whole speech is presented in the first plural person, that suggests that the Puritans (Winthrop is one of them), are undiversified group.

In his speech he states many times that there are “knit together” in a bond of common cause and common destiny, that appears when he says: “in a bond of common cause and common destiny”, every individual’s fate subject to that of the group. He also calls attention to Puritans when he says: “For we must consider that we shall be as a city upon a hill”, to suggest once more that the different individuals are all delimited into one larger entity, one to which the world will look for leadership and guidance.

He doesn’t insist only on unity between and among the individual Puritans,but also he pursues the unity between God and humans,the sacred and the governmental. He speaks about the more near bond of marriage Between God and the Puritans, as he said: “First, in regard of the more near bond of marriage between Him and us”, obligating them to the higher purpose God intends not only to one another. There are many phrases that combine the system of government with that of religion, such as “government both civil and ecclesiastical”.

Winthrop quotes from the Bible many times during his speech, and makes biblical allusions, his allusions always points to rise up the Puritan’s struggle and to escape oppression. He also compares the “special commission” God has given the Puritans to the commission given Saul to destroy Amaleck in the Old Testament (He indented with him upon certain articles, and because he failed in one of the least, and that upon a fair pretense, it lost him the kingdom, which should have been his reward, if he had observed his commission).

In addition he quotes Moses speaking to the Israelites on their way from slavery to the Promised Land “’Beloved there is now set before us life and death, good and evil”, hinting himself as a kind of law giver directly from God and the Puritans as a new chosen people. Between al the established in North America and elsewhere around the world, Winthrop gives the creation of this colony a biblical importance, as though when scripture is read in the future, the Puritans’ founding of Massachusetts would be included.

The sense of self-importance fills Winthrop’s speech, and to dramatically emphasize this grandness, Winthrop’s speak moves from the most elevated and the colony’s success, to the most dark, when describing consequences of potential failure. Winthrop states that in success, God will make them (the puritans) a praise and glory;people will look at them as an example. He constantly refers to the Puritans as though they were the most important people to God, commanding all of His attention, as he says:”For we must consider that we shall be as a city upon a hill.

The eyes of all people are upon us. So that if we shall deal falsely with our God in this work we have undertaken, and so cause Him to withdraw His present help from us, we shall be made a story and a by-word through the world”. He constantly refers to the Puritans as though they were the most important people to God, commanding all of His attention. Winthrop uses language suggestive of ultimate damnation and ruin, saying that”We shall open the mouths of enemies to speak evil of the ways of God, and all professors for God’s sake.

We shall shame the faces of many of God’s worthy servants, and cause their prayers to be turned into curses upon us till we are consumed out of the good land whither we are going”. The concept of individual damnation through sin is here applied to a whole people, binding them in their destruction. Winthrop thinks that Puritans are so important to God comparing with other humans in the earth. In his speech Winthrop affect strongly upon the Puritans (his audience), the great importance of what they are doing and the frightening,universe-shaking consequences if they fail.

Winthrop breeds an elevated sense of pride in accomplishment and fearof failure into his audience and demands of them an absolute sense of unity between each other and with their faith, making dissent equal to destruction or damnation. This sense of America being the center of the world, a nation of individuals bound together and lives in a unity. Despite the different cultures that make up America, the Puritanical roots remain a strong part of thenational character.