A Model of Christian Charity

"A Model of Christian Charity" is a sermon by Puritan leader John Winthrop, preached at the Holyrood Church in Southampton before the colonists embarked in the Winthrop Fleet. It is also known as "City upon a Hill" and denotes the notion of American exceptionalism. The sermon was known by reputation and preserved in contemporaneous manuscript copy held by the New-York Historical Society, but it was not published until the 1830s. Summary John Winthrop begins his sermon by stating, "God Almighty in his most holy and wise providence, hath so disposed of the condition of mankind, as in all times some must be rich, some poor, some high and eminent in power and dignity; others mean and in subjection." He then states three reasons why God made people have different positions from one another: To show conformity with the differences in the natural world. He explains how God wants to give gifts to mankind by distributing them through mankind, "dispensing his gifts to man by man." Winthrop's view was that mankind was called upon to act as God's stewards, distributing God's gifts to others: "as it is the glory of princes to have many officers, so this great king will have many stewards". To show the world the role played by the Spirit in the lives of mankind: 1) restraining evil, "so that the rich and mighty should not eat up the poor" and the downtrodden should not rise up against their oppressors; 2) showing God's grace to mankind through the lives of Christians ("the regenerate"), both "love, mercy, gentleness" in those who are wealthy and "faith, patience, obedience" in those who are poor. To foster an inter-dependence among mankind, that "every man might have need of others, and from hence they might be all knit more nearly together in the bonds of brotherly affection." He explains that the rich are permitted wealth, not for their own benefit, but "for the glory of his Creator and the common good of the creature, Man." God permits one man to be wealthy so that the wealthy man may share his riches with the poor man, benefitting both. Winthrop then moves on to explain that there are two overriding "rules" which should govern all interactions within a community, "two rules whereby we are to walk one towards another: Justice and Mercy." He argues that justice and mercy should be exercised by both rich and poor, since both rich and poor have need of them.