John Winthrop
John Winthrop was a prominent Puritan leader and the first governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, playing a crucial role in the early development of New England. Born in England, he was educated at Trinity College, Cambridge, where he developed his strong Puritan beliefs. In 1630, he led a group of Puritans to America, envisioning the colony as a 'city upon a hill,' a model of Christian charity and governance. Winthrop's leadership was characterized by his commitment to creating a theocratic society that upheld moral and religious discipline, which was reflected in his writings and speeches. Winthrop's most notable works include his journal, which provides a detailed account of the early years of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, and his famous sermon 'A Model of Christian Charity.' This sermon articulated his vision for a community bound by mutual love and responsibility, influencing both the religious and political landscape of early America. Winthrop's legacy is significant as he helped shape the values and governance of New England, and his ideas on civic responsibility and community have echoed throughout American history, impacting the development of American political thought and identity.
Famous Quotes
View all 10 quotes“For this end, we must be knit together in this work as one man, we must entertain each other in brotherly affection, we must be willing to abridge our selves of our superfluities for the supply of others' necessities. We must uphold a familiar commerce together in all meekness, gentleness, patience and liberality. We must delight in each other, make others' conditions our own, rejoice together, mourn together, labor, and suffer together, always having before our eyes our commission and community in the work, our community as members of the same body. So shall we keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace, the Lord will be our God and delight to dwell among us, as His own people and will command a blessing upon us in all our ways, so that we shall see much more of His wisdom, power, goodness, and truth then formerly we have been acquainted with.””
“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 byword through the world, we shall open the mouths of enemies to speak evil of the ways of god and all professors for Gods sake; we shall shame the faces of many of gods worthy servants, and cause their prayers to be turned into Curses upon us till we be consumed out of the good land whether we are going: And to shut up this discourse with that exhortation of Moses that faithful servant of the Lord in his last farewell to Israel Deut. 30. Beloved there is now set before us life, and good, death and evil in that we are Commanded this day to love the Lord our God, and to love one another to walk in his ways and to keep his Commandments and his Ordinance, and his laws, and the Articles of our Covenant with him that we may live and be multiplied, and that the Lord our God may bless us in the land whether we go to possess it: But if our hearts shall turn away so that we will not obey, but shall be seduced and worship other Gods our pleasures, and profits, and serve them, it is propounded unto us this day, we shall surely perish out of the good Land whether we pass over this vast Sea to possess it.””
“We must delight in each other, make others conditions our own, rejoice together, mourn together, labor and suffer together, always having before our eyes our commission and community in the work, our community as members of the same body.””
