Either way in colonial Massachusetts's laws were made and enforced. The crimes and punishments in Colonial Massachusetts not only reflect the societies morality but an embedded commitment to God. .
Crimes were considered sins and any offense against God was an automatic crime against the village and the people therein. Many religious leaders preached sermons about God's punishment of Sodom and Gomorrah to remind the people of what could happen to them if they disobeyed God's law. But, it was more a case of the colony leader's own law rather than God's moral law. .
The Puritans believed that if one member of their group suffered guilt, then the whole group must suffer along with that person or persons. If the person was not punished in a satisfying manner to the public, then they believed that they too would be punished. A simple breaking of their legal codes such as lying or idleness could cause the whole group to pay the price.
In most of the colonies it was against the law to swear, be caught in a state of public drunkenness, not attend church services, inappropriate behavior on the Sabbath, and unacceptable conduct between members of the opposite sex. Disobedience on the part of children or servants, speaking ill of the court or judge, speaking ill of magistrate or minister, playing with cards or dice, denying the divinity of any part of the bible, professing to be a Quaker, befriending a Quaker, telling lies, acting unruly abroad a ship, doing anything that could be considered as defiling the Sabbath (like laughing), drinking in a tavern on the Sabbath, swearing at people or animals, wandering around, being idle, being disorderly or rude, marrying your brother's widow, wearing the clothes of the opposite sex and the list of criminal acts punishable by law only grew . Any such offenses were punishable before the town people. This was a method of shaming the wrongdoer so that they would not commit the act again.
