His phrase was used by puritan leader john winthrop when referring to the colonists opportunity to found a religiously-oriented settlement that would be admired and emulated by others around the world.

The city on a hill, is the phrase was used by puritan leader john winthrop in 1630 through the first group of puritan emigrants was still on board their ship the arbella waiting to disembark and make the first settlement in what would become new england. The city unit of this sermon was dragged out by well beside readers as a crystallization of the puritan mission in the new world.