Christian belief
As a Puritan minister the purity of faith and the accuracy of the Christian believe are at the core of Michael Wigglesworth's poetry. He treats the Christian mythology as pure truth and warns people of judgement day. Puritans were a sombre and introverted crowd that held the worship of Christ above everything else. Wigglesworth's poetry shows this dedication by making the pursuit of perfect Christianity his goal. His poetry describes how heaven and earth work, how sin is punished and what eternity is. For example "A Short Discourse on Eternity" tries to give the reader an insight into what's the difference between the human life and eternal bliss or damnation. "To the Christian Reader" is a defense of his own actions, grieving that he is unable to fulfill his position as a minister. In conclusion, Wigglesworth's poetry leans heavily on a direct interpretation of the bible, which is shown through the multiple mentions of bible verses throughout his poetry.
The creation of the world
One specific Christian topic mentioned in Michael Wigglesworth's poetry is the concept of the Christian creation myth. In "A Short Discourse on Eternity" he gives the audience an exact number of years since creation has taken place, about 5600 years. He also places the biblical flood at exactly 4000 years ago. This strong adherence to the biblical truth does not allow any other interpretations of the world. Within this theme, Wigglesworth has proven his true Puritan dedication.
Sin and Faith
For any true Puritan the avoidance and punishment of sin are a core element of their faith. Therefore, the typical Puritan admonishment of the faithful is a constant element in Wiggleworth's poetry. For example, "The Day of Doom" discusses the biblical judgement day, where those that follow the strict rules will be saved, while those that strayed from the path will live eternally in hell. He repeatedly reminds the audience of how long eternity really is compared to our short, unimportant lives. Another strong example of this theme can be found in "Vanity of Vanities", where the sinful lifestyle of humans is again compared to the eternal bliss of heaven, stating that the former is not worth risking the later.
Priesthood
As a minister, his priesthood is a smaller theme within his poetry. Being the main topic of "To the Christian Reader", Wigglesworth describes what he considers appropriate service to God and how he regrettably fails to do so, due to physical frailty. The poem seems to be a personal defense against attack from his parish. He explains that his inability to preach is one of his biggest regrets. This world view, where physical shortcomings are partly also sinful, is another strong element of the Puritan faith.
