Perhaps the most misused sermon in American history is John Winthrop’s sermon to the Puritans. When the Rev. Winthrop said that the Puritans “shall be as a city upon a hill,” he was not saying how great they were. There was nothing about a shining city on a hill.
He said the settlers had “to do justly, to love mercy, to walk humbly with our God. For this end we must knit together, in this work, as one man. We must entertain each other in brotherly affection. We must be willing to abridge ourselves 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, morn together, labor and suffer together, always having before our eyes our commission and community in the work as members of the same body.
He went on to say that if they succeeded, subsequent settlers would ask the Lord to make their settlements like that of New England. On the other hand, as that very visible city upon the hill, if they failed they would be a story and a by-word through the world, and people would curse them.
Draw your own conclusions.
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