Although he was not an ordained minister, John Winthrop wrote and delivered A Modell of Christian Charity aboard The Arbella as it sailed toward New England. This sermon outlined the underlying values that must be present in order for the colony to succeed. A Modell of Christian Charity accepts the fact that Puritans are indeed "God's chosen people", and attempts explain the ramifications that come with this responsibility. .
The Puritans were very strong advocates of typology. This belief led many Puritans to liken themselves to the ancient Hebrews of the Old Testament, and the similarities between the two are quite striking. The Puritans crossed the Atlantic (Red Sea), with the hope of escaping Old World oppression (Egypt). They arrived in a pristine wilderness (Canaan), and proceeded to rid the land of heathen Indians just like the Hebrews had done with the idol worshiping Canaanites. Winthrop mentions the marked destruction of the Canaanites by God when he says "upon this ground the Israelites were to putt a difference betweene the brethren of such as were strangers though not of the Canaanites." The Puritans also believed that God's covenant in the Old Testament did not apply solely to the Jews. This Covenant was delivered to Moses, and is described in Exodus 19: 5-6: "Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation." Thus, the Puritans believed that if established a pious community that followed God's laws, that the Lord would protect them and bestow many blessings upon them. Undoubtedly, the knowledge of the trials and tribulations that the Hebrews had to endure in their journey to Israel, helped the Puritans make it through those harsh New England winters. .
It was critical that the Puritans regard themselves as "God's Chosen" since they believed in predestination.