--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Cotton’s code was never enacted, but in…" description: "\"“Cotton’s code was never enacted, but in 1641 the General Court adopted the Body of Liberties, written by lawyer and pastor Nathaniel Ward, the author ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1c1/steven-k-green-29974_bible_cotton-s-code-was-never-enacted-but-in-1_745040.jpg" --- # Cotton’s code was never enacted, but in 1641 the General… ![“Cotton’s code was never enacted, but in 1641 the General Court adopted the Body of Liberties, written by lawyer and pastor Nathaniel Ward, the author of The Simple Cobler of Aggawam. Like Cotton’s proposed code, the Body of Liberties relied heavily on the Old Testament, with various provisions…” quote by Steven K. Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1c1/steven-k-green-29974_bible_cotton-s-code-was-never-enacted-but-in-1_745040.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1c1/steven-k-green-29974_bible_cotton-s-code-was-never-enacted-but-in-1_745040.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1c1/steven-k-green-29974_bible_cotton-s-code-was-never-enacted-but-in-1_745040.jpg) > ““Cotton’s code was never enacted, but in 1641 the General Court adopted the Body of Liberties, written by lawyer and pastor Nathaniel Ward, the author of The Simple Cobler of Aggawam. Like Cotton’s proposed code, the Body of Liberties relied heavily on the Old Testament, with various provisions containing biblical phrases and scriptural cross references. One capital offense provided that if “any man after legall conviction shall have or worship any other god, but the lord god, he shall be put to death,” and cited Deuteronomy and Exodus for authority.”” [Steven K. Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-k-green/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The passage notes that early colonial law heavily referenced biblical authority, imposing severe penalties for worshipping other gods, reflecting intertwining of religion and law. **In simple terms:** Early law mixed religion with legal penalties. Key Takeaway Recognize historical religious influence on law. Themes religion law history Mood analytical critical Type historical educational When to use this quote - legal studies - theology - human rights advocacy Key Concepts theocracy colonial governance biblical law Questions to Reflect On - How did religious law shape early American freedoms? - What lessons apply to modern law? A Different Perspective May overlook broader context of colonial society. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bible/) [Body Liberties](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/body-liberties-5808794/) [Code Enacted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/code-enacted-5808793/) [Cotton Code](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cotton-code-5808791/) [Cotton Proposed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cotton-proposed-5808792/) [Liberties Written](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/liberties-written-5808790/) [Lord god](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lord-god/) [Old testament](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/old-testament/) ## Related quotes > [And in any preaching you do, admonish the people concerning repentance, and that nobody can be saved except he who receives the most holy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-of-assisi/and-in-any-preaching-you-do-admonish-the-people-concerning-repentance/) [Francis of Assisi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-of-assisi/) > [“She promised you'd get to shore in one piece.' 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There are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/let-the-lord-your-god-be-your-hope-seek-for-nothing-else-from-him-but/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The dog is the most faithful of animals and would be much esteemed were it not so common. Our Lord God has made His…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/the-dog-is-the-most-faithful-of-animals-and-would-be-much-esteemed/) [Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/) > [“Lord God, you deserve my best. Forgive me for the times I have offered you only the dregs, whether it be half-heartedly muttered prayers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-j-foster/lord-god-you-deserve-my-best-forgive-me-for-the-times-i-have-offered/) [Richard J. Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-j-foster/) > [“O LORD GOD let thy glory fill the earth as it is in heaven.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/o-lord-god-let-thy-glory-fill-the-earth-as-it-is-in-heaven/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD - with all your heart - with all your soul - with all your strength.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/love-the-lord-your-god-with-all-your-heart-with-all-your-soul-with/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“The Lord seeks to establish status quo before His return. He is gathering His sheep, His birds, His people under His wings, under His…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henrietta-newton-martin/the-lord-seeks-to-establish-status-quo-before-his-return-he-is/) [Henrietta Newton Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henrietta-newton-martin/) > [“Take care lest you forget the LORD your God by not keeping his commandments and his rules and his statutes, which I command you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-d-fortner/take-care-lest-you-forget-the-lord-your-god-by-not-keeping-his/) [Michael D. Fortner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-d-fortner/) > [“Lord God we give thanks to you for all the good things you have bestowed upon us.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/lord-god-we-give-thanks-to-you-for-all-the-good-things-you-have/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) ## More by Steven K. Green > [“Jefferson then distilled and enunciated these “essentials” in several personal works he shared with friends, his “Syllabus,” and two extracts from the Bible: “The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-k-green/jefferson-then-distilled-and-enunciated-these-essentials-in-several/) [Steven K. Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-k-green/) > [“Religious imagery and symbolism were the common idioms that all speakers employed when making rhetorical points. Rather than indicating a level of personal piety,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-k-green/religious-imagery-and-symbolism-were-the-common-idioms-that-all/) [Steven K. Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-k-green/) > [“Whether it was celebrated or lamented, the Constitution was universally seen as a secular document establishing a civil frame of government. In essence, few…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-k-green/whether-it-was-celebrated-or-lamented-the-constitution-was/) [Steven K. Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-k-green/) > [“The myth of America’s religious founding thus provided an explanation for those who needed to sanctify the past before they could go forward with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-k-green/the-myth-of-america-s-religious-founding-thus-provided-an-explanation/) [Steven K. Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-k-green/) > [“The haphazard unfolding of religious toleration described above occurred chiefly by default (and in New York, to enhance a commercial environment), not to promote…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-k-green/the-haphazard-unfolding-of-religious-toleration-described-above/) [Steven K. Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-k-green/) > [“Because Americans lack a common ethnicity or extensive heritage, our founding myth is more important than it is for most other peoples. Unlike other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-k-green/because-americans-lack-a-common-ethnicity-or-extensive-heritage-our/) [Steven K. Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-k-green/) > [“In both instances of Franklin and Jefferson, revisionist writers have emphasized those aspects of their beliefs that are consistent with Christian faith, while discounting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-k-green/in-both-instances-of-franklin-and-jefferson-revisionist-writers-have/) [Steven K. Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-k-green/) > [“At the risk of oversimplification, the unifying theme of the Hebrew scripture is one of forging a national identity connected to God through a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-k-green/at-the-risk-of-oversimplification-the-unifying-theme-of-the-hebrew/) [Steven K. Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-k-green/) > [“All in all, Christian nation proponents commit several errors in their claims about the religious beliefs of the Founders. Their claims isolate the religious…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-k-green/all-in-all-christian-nation-proponents-commit-several-errors-in-their/) [Steven K. Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-k-green/) > [“With religious nonconformists outnumbering Anglicans after 1700, and economic motives eclipsing any sense of a religious mission, the colony adopted a moderate religious stance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-k-green/with-religious-nonconformists-outnumbering-anglicans-after-1700-and/) [Steven K. Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-k-green/) > [“Colonial America was not settled out of a search for religious liberty, but it stumbled onto that principle just in time.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-k-green/colonial-america-was-not-settled-out-of-a-search-for-religious/) [Steven K. Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-k-green/) > [“As noted, late in their deliberations the drafters of the Constitution included a clause prohibiting religious tests or prerequisites for holding any federal office.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-k-green/as-noted-late-in-their-deliberations-the-drafters-of-the-constitution/) [Steven K. Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-k-green/) > [“while one can debate whether a particular Founder was religiously devout, there is little question that many regularly attended Christian worship and participated in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-k-green/while-one-can-debate-whether-a-particular-founder-was-religiously/) [Steven K. Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-k-green/) > [“The “large majority of ministers who published sermons during the Revolutionary era justified the war effort by a rationale that was more political than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-k-green/the-large-majority-of-ministers-who-published-sermons-during-the/) [Steven K. Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-k-green/) > [“As George Marsden reminds us, “at the time of the American Revolution there was no distinctly ‘Christian’ line of political thought as opposed to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-k-green/as-george-marsden-reminds-us-at-the-time-of-the-american-revolution/) [Steven K. Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-k-green/) [Explore all 18 Steven K. Green quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-k-green/) ## More Bible quotes > [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [From Augustine down, theologians have tried to compel people to accept their special interpretation of the Scripture, and the tortures of the inquisition, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matilda-joslyn-gage/from-augustine-down-theologians-have-tried-to-compel-people-to-accept/) [Matilda Joslyn Gage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matilda-joslyn-gage/) > [“God hates Hell. He hates the idea of people going there. He hates it so much that He was willing to take on human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-minton/god-hates-hell-he-hates-the-idea-of-people-going-there-he-hates-it-so/) [Evan Minton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-minton/) > [“The Devil can cite Scripture for his purpose, Sergeant,’ Anthony Payne replied. ‘That is from The Merchant of Venice, but it holds great truth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-arnold/the-devil-can-cite-scripture-for-his-purpose-sergeant-anthony-payne/) [Michael Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-arnold/) > [When you put your hand on the Bible, you are saying something much stronger than just telling your peers that you're going to tell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-greenwood/when-you-put-your-hand-on-the-bible-you-are-saying-something-much/) [Lee Greenwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-greenwood/) > [“Scripture also teaches that human beings are morally responsible creatures”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-peterson/scripture-also-teaches-that-human-beings-are-morally-responsible/) [Robert A. Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-peterson/) > [“The wife of a junior officer cooped up in a horrible canvas partition in steerage for five months wrote: "I had enjoyed much peace…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-taylor/the-wife-of-a-junior-officer-cooped-up-in-a-horrible-canvas-partition/) [Stephen Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-taylor/) > [O Word of God incarnate . . . 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The Bible is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abel-ferrara/where-i-come-from-you-re-not-raised-to-think-on-your-own-it-s-not/) [Abel Ferrara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abel-ferrara/) > [“I felt like praying or something, when I was in bed, but I couldn't do it. I can't always pray when I feel like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger/i-felt-like-praying-or-something-when-i-was-in-bed-but-i-couldn-t-do/) [J.D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger/) > [What comes to mind when you think of heaven? 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They came together the first day…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-macarthur/the-definition-of-a-church-is-crystal-clear-in-the-new-testament-we/) [John MacArthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-macarthur/) [Browse all 8,465 Bible quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bible/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Cotton’s code was never enacted, but in 1641 the General Court adopted the Body of Liberties, written by lawyer and pastor Nathaniel Ward, the author of The Simple Cobler of Aggawam. Like Cotton’s proposed code, the Body of Liberties relied heavily on the Old Testament, with various provisions containing biblical phrases and scriptural cross references. One capital offense provided that if “any man after legall conviction shall have or worship any other god, but the lord god, he shall be put to death,” and cited Deuteronomy and Exodus for authority.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Steven K. 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