Everyone in the world strives for a sense of security and dependability throughout their lives. Whether it be a young child crying for their mother or a troubled adult looking to a loved one, it is human nature that we function at a higher, more confident, level when we"re comforted by the knowledge that someone will be there for us when we need them. In William Bradford's "Of Plymouth Plantation", it is no different. .
Throughout the manuscript Bradford points to God as being not only a major influence but also possessing a comforting, almost parent like, influence over the early settlers of New England. Whether it be their upbringings, or past teachings, the individuals in Bradford's group see God as a type of security blanket that will protect them and possibly even bring them good fortune if they are simply faithful to him in return, " the God of Heaven who had brought them over the vast and furious ocean, and delivered them from all the perils and miseries thereof-. Bradford goes on to talk about " a special work of God's providence", in which he rids the pilgrims of a man who was causing grief and torment to the sick, " But it pleased God before they came half the seas over, to smite this young man with a grievous disease, of which he dies in desperate manner-. This goes to show just how powerful they believed God to be and to what extent they believed he could protect them. .
Even though God had played a huge role in the lives of the settlers already, he took on a deeper meaning when they were faced with the task of starting a new life in a foreign and unpleasant land. Due to the fact that they were without " friends to welcome them nor inns to entertain them- or even " houses or much less towns to repair to-, it is little surprise that they were in need of some sort of stability or happiness in their lives. This is where God came in. He allowed the settlers to forge through the tough times that they were experiencing and gave them the power they needed to keep their spirits up, "what could now sustain them but the Spirit of God and His grace".
