“The definition which the scripture gives us of love is this: ‘Love is the bond of perfection.’ [I]t is a bond or ligament. . . . There is no body but consists of parts and that which each part so contiguous to others as thereby they do mutually participate with each other, both in strength and infirmity, in pleasure and pain. . . . Christ and his church make one body. The several parts of this body, considered apart before they were united, were disproportionate and as much disordering as so many contrary qualities or elements, [however, when united], it is become the most perfect and best proportioned body in the world[.]”
1. Love is the essential ligament that results in the body functioning as one. I can assume that he is claiming himself and his settlement to have this essential bonding factor, love. He continues to say that because they are functioning as one, everyone feels and reacts to each others strengths and weaknesses. Meaning, everyone participates by helping one another to overcome any obstructions that may occur. As he continues, he states that a body not functioning as whole is disordered and not as efficient. In conclusion, he states that a community that functions as one becomes the most successful community of all.
Everyone participating as a whole in a community provides an inherent purpose within everyone. This inherent purpose, shared by all, manifests a sense of genuine commonwealth among everyone as well.
“Whatsoever we did or ought to have done when we lived in England, the same must we do, and more also, where we go.”
2. Whatever they did correct, they must repeat, and whatever they didn’t do correct, they must reform, wherever they go. Winthrop hopes to pursue this principle to ensure their future colony without any improprieties.
“Thus stands the cause between God and us. We are entered into covenant with him for this work. We have taken out a commission, the Lord hath given us leave to draw our own articles. We have professed to enterprise these actions . . . . Now if the Lord shall please to hear us, and bring us in peace to the place we desire, then hath he ratified this covenant and sealed our commission, [and] will expect a strict performance of the articles contained in it.”
3. The puritans believed God had assigned them the task of establishing a colony consisting of a purified religion or the true religion. The puritans request from God that they are lead to a place of peace in the location of the new colony. In the puritan’s perspective, God had not only assigned them the task, but expected a strict succession from them. The puritans took an oath to fulfill the task God had endowed them with. This substantiates the idea that puritans didn’t believe in coincidence. They assumed everything to be governed by God and thus have inherent purpose.
“[W]hen he shall make us a praise and glory that men shall say of succeeding [colonies], ‘the Lord make it like that of New England.’ For we must consider that we shall be as a city upon a hill. The eyes of all people are upon us[.]”
4. A city upon a hill is what they hoped to become, highly regarded by all, and thus must set a good example for the rest of the world.
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