Glory to [man]

By the second generation of Puritans, many texts were declaring that the religious state of colonists was in danger.  In the first chapter of Errand Into the Wilderness (1956), Perry Miller interprets these texts—particularly Danforth’s sermon—as admitting that the errand had failed.  Miller writes of this failure mainly in terms of public image: 

If the rest of the world, or at least of Protestantism, looked elsewhere, or turned to another model, or simply got distracted and forgot about New England, if the new land was left with a polity nobody in the great world of Europe wanted—then every success in fulfilling the terms of the covenant would become a diabolical measure of failure.

According to the passage, the Puritan errand was to become “a city on a hill,” so if the world stopped paying attention to them, their work was—to put it more mildly than Miller—futile.     

Now, one of the main themes I’m looking for is the Puritans’ balance of the material world with inner spirituality, so Miller’s idea stands out to me.  Does he mean that the American Puritans’ highest concern was to reform European civil and ecclesiastical government through their example?  Did these men and women renounce the world to be recognized by the world?  Were they concerned about their public image or about giving glory to God? 

The “errand” seems a bit more internally-grounded than that…or should I say eternally-grounded?  Their errand sprang from a covenant with God.  Therefore, the Puritans were answerable to God.  Their primary mission was pure worship of and obedience to Him.  The creation of a model form of governance was certainly connected to this, but the anticipated worldwide fame was to be a result of the primary mission. And even this secondary result was not for the Puritans’ own reputation…it was for the glory of their God. 

Let’s go back to the man who set the colony’s vision in the first place.  John Winthrop, while still on board the Arbella, warned of the Lord’s wrath and vengeance if “wee shall…embrace this present world and prosecute our carnall intencions, seekeing greate things for our selves and our posterity.” The original vision did not seek recognition. Rather, the “city upon a hill” would be a natural result of their experiment. It would be a proof that they were fulfilling their covenant by living in brotherly love.

The core sense of failure expressed in the sermons was internal and spiritual—our community has backslidden because individuals no longer fervently love God—our churches are no longer pure gold, but mixed with alloy.  Puritan leaders were disappointed about England’s lack of interest.  They grieved over their perceived alienation from God. 

The Puritans’ intertwining of political and religious concerns is a complex issue that I’m just beginning to touch.  At this point I say, yes, the Puritans had a sense of social and political purpose, but the spiritual realities of their covenant seemed to take precedence. In other words, political goals flowed out of their primary concern of glorifying and serving God.