John Winthorp Assertion Analysis

    John Winthorp asserts that his paritioners are the figurative "people on the hill" and that they must uphold their "perfect" religious lifestyle in order to succeed in the New World. There is much emphasis on what would happen if anyone failed to do their part for their religion. This instills a feeling of anxiety amongst the paritioners to do their best and to not fail, or they will all suffer the consequences.
    In order to convey this assertion, John Winthorp uses syntax and simile. The entire "paragraph" is actually just one sentence; giving no time for the paritioners to think about what Winthorp is saying. The paritioners just accept it and move on. They also believe that they are superior to others or are the "city on the hill". Winthorp persaudes them to believe that they are better than others through the use of simile.