Ne suitor ultra crepidam, or, Brief animadversions upon the New-England Anabaptists late fallacious narrativeNe sutor ultra crepidam, or, Brief animadversions upon the New-England Anabaptists late fallacious narrative

6. We neglect public Worship on the Lords Day] What he brings here for justification, is (to us) a confessing guilty; that is it we mean, and therefore what we say, is not utterly untrue: only the reasons they give for their separation, are misrepresented. Whereas they say, we would not admit any of them to communion with us: they know that our Churches have received some that were scrupulous about Infant Baptism, who were willing to carry inoffensively: that we have refused such as were rebaptized among these Excommunicate Anabaptists, is true hypothetically, viz. except they would acknowledge and repent of that act: because we judge it scandalous. And whereas he tells the World, We have been shut out of our public house, and the doors nailed up, and we forced to meet without in the open Air, on a very cold day:) he seems to have forfeited all honesty, so to relate. ⟨p. 23⟩It is true, the Civil Authority here, have (by a very needful Law) prohibited any from erecting any public Meeting House, without the consent of the Freemen of the Town where they live first orderly had and obtained at a public Meeting assembled for that end; and License of the County Court; &c. Without such a Law many hopeful Plantations would have come to nothing. And it equally concerned all others, with Anabaptists; and yet these men (neglecting this Law) undertake such a business. Report of this is made to the Civil Magistrate, who enquired into it, and these fallaciously pretend it might be for a Warehouse, or a Brew-house; thus they still proceed, till it become a Meeting House, and is met in on the Lords days: Now are they again called before the Council, justly reproved for slighting the Law, and for Dissimulation; and lovingly desired to be content to meet in private (as before) till the General Court (near approaching) might hear and determine this matter. They refusing to promise so to do Order was given to nail up their doors: whereupon the Anabaptists sullenly meet in the open Air on a cold day (though a large house, and their usual place of meeting stood just by) that they might make matter to frame a scandalous clamour out of: yet were the Doors soon broken open again, and they there publicly meet before the Court. Now I only desire to be satisfied who gave these men leave to trample all Authority under foot, and live as men that are lawless?