In City upon a Hill, the Puritan writer John Winthrop avows his outlook regarding the purpose and goals for the Puritans settling in Massachusetts. His ideas cause assumptions to be made involving the beliefs of those who joined him. Winthrop had heavy demands for the followers and a strict way of life that would come before them.
John Winthrop believed that in the voyage to Massachusetts, some of the followers might become discontent with their obligation to God and not fully partake in the mission of settling in the New World. Winthrop goes on to state that the settlers who do partake in the mission must be willing to work together and keep the mission in their heart if they want to succeed. Winthrop says that the settlers must act as one with God and be willing to leave the luxuries of their normal life in order to start a new life in Massachusetts. He says that faith will help them through hard times and that God will bless them if they believe in him. Winthrop says, "For wee must Consider that wee shall be as a City upon a Hill, the eyes of all people are upon us." This means that everyone will be watching them. If they falter and do not believe in God during this period of settling, God will take all of his guidance away from them and they will be made examples of. Basically, God is their only chance of survival and their faith in God will bring them prosperity and life. But if they disobey God and only care about pleasure, severe punishment will be brought to all.
Winthrop makes a number of assumptions about the followers in this passage. Winthrop first assumes that some settlers will fail to stick to the mission while going overseas. He thinks that some will lose their heart and forget about the mission altogether. He assumes that the followers are willing to leave their everyday luxuries in order to start a new life across the sea and to help one another and function as one with God.