John Winthrop and the Virtue of the Wealthy in Society

Winthrop believes that virtue is based on the community with others and it should be shown through the relationship between one another. He shown this when he used the quote, “Wee enterertaine each other in brotherly love affection. Wee must be willing to abridge ourselves of our superfluities, for the supply of other’s necessities. Wee must uphold a familiar commerce together in all meekness, gentleness, patience and liberty. Wee must delight in eache other; other’s coditions our oune; rejoice together, mourne together, labour and suffer together, allways haueving before our eyes our commission and community in the worke, as members of the same body.” The author is trying to say that we need to be a community and work together to prosper. You shouldn’t be selfish, and you should share your wealth and sometimes sacrifice meaningless things for the success/well-being of your neighbor. This quote shows how community is very important, and how everyone shares, pain, happiness, joy, and despair.

Wheatly believes that true virtue is threw God and humans cannot reach alone. She shows this in her quote, “O Thou bright jewel in my aim I strive To comprehend thee. Thine own words declare Wisdom is higher than a fool can reach.” She is saying I am trying to reach and comprehend virtue, but I cannot understand it. Virtue can only be reached by God, humans are unable to reach it.

They both think that virtue is through God in some way, it is from him directly or from him through another person. They both implied that we need God to be virtuous, however they expressed this in different ways. Wheatly express this thought with the quote, “This is higher than a fool can reach.” She was implying that humans cannot reach virtue alone, the fool in the scenario is humans, and the only thing higher that humans is God. Winthrop express this ideology in a different way, he believes that God uses humans to help others become virtuous. This is shown in the quote, “… allways haueving before our eyes our commission and community in the worke, as members of the same body.” As a Puritan he believed that God expected them to live according to the Scriptures, and to set a good example. This is what he believe that God made him to do and to become less sinful.