The Puritans wanted to leave the Church of England to become “pure” by getting rid of Catholic practices. The Puritans did not want to separate entirely from the Church of England; they wanted to make reforms and changes. King Charles the First would threaten the Puritans with harsh punishments if they did not obey the Church of England; therefore, they sought freedom in the New World.  The colonists wanted to base the colony on the laws of God. They believed that God would protect them if they obeyed his laws. Winthrop wanted to make this colony a model for all other colonies to follow. To ensure this Winthrop wrote a sermon titled “A Model of Christian Charity” in order to arrange his ideas about how the Puritan settlers should treat one another in order to help each other, and the colony, survive.  This fact is proved when Winthrop states “For this end we must be 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…”. This essay sought to apply scriptural virtues to the strange circumstances and challenges the colonists would face in creating their new social and political order.  The colonists, who were fleeing royal persecution for their religious beliefs, had to recognize that they were drawn together for a purpose far beyond their own liberty, or even security.  Winthrop told his followers that the new colony would be a “city upon a hill,” setting an example of purity and righteousness that would influence the world. This concept has resonated over the centuries, and is one of the earliest examples of the concept of “American exceptionalism.” It has been invoked by politicians including Presidents Kennedy and Reagan and is widely considered to be one of the ideological foundations of the United States.