Around the year 1630, Puritans came over to North America seeking religious freedom. In America, they were able to practice their religion freely without the persecution they faced in England. Puritans believed that God was a holy and perfect figure and that he controlled everything. They also believed in predestination. This meant that God chose those who were saved before they were even born. Since being one of the people God had chosen to be saved, Puritans tried to live holy lives as a way of seeing whether or not they were chosen. Due to their whole lives being shaped by God, they relied on God. Puritans portrayed their reliance on God through many ways such as fear tactics, believing in God’s providence, and putting God before everyone
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God’s providence is the belief that God controls everything that happens based on what he wants to happen. This shows reliance because Puritans depended on God to command them to do what they wanted. They believed that everything they were doing was for the best since God wanted it to happen. When there was a bad storm during the trip, a man named John Howland was “thrown into [the] sea; but it pleased God that e caught hold of the topsail halyards” (Bradford 26). This man was obviously in a lot of danger and depended on God to help him survive (he was probably a Puritan considering he was on the Mayflower as a passenger and the fact that God saved him). During the Puritan’s voyage on the Mayflower, they experienced bad weather and were able to go into Cape Harbor “by God’s good providence” (Bradford 27). After they arrived, they thanked God since they relied on Him to bring them to a safe place. Another example of God’s providence is Squanto. Bradford explicitly states that he “was a special instrument sent of God for their good” (Bradford 31). Again, the Puritans needed someone to teach them how to live in America. Since they were still new to everything, they relied on God to bring them someone and when Squanto came they automatically called it God’s providence. The belief of God’s providence shows the Puritans reliance on
God’s providence is the belief that God controls everything that happens based on what he wants to happen. This shows reliance because Puritans depended on God to command them to do what they wanted. They believed that everything they were doing was for the best since God wanted it to happen. When there was a bad storm during the trip, a man named John Howland was “thrown into [the] sea; but it pleased God that e caught hold of the topsail halyards” (Bradford 26). This man was obviously in a lot of danger and depended on God to help him survive (he was probably a Puritan considering he was on the Mayflower as a passenger and the fact that God saved him). During the Puritan’s voyage on the Mayflower, they experienced bad weather and were able to go into Cape Harbor “by God’s good providence” (Bradford 27). After they arrived, they thanked God since they relied on Him to bring them to a safe place. Another example of God’s providence is Squanto. Bradford explicitly states that he “was a special instrument sent of God for their good” (Bradford 31). Again, the Puritans needed someone to teach them how to live in America. Since they were still new to everything, they relied on God to bring them someone and when Squanto came they automatically called it God’s providence. The belief of God’s providence shows the Puritans reliance on