ought _Ministers_ to do something _extraordinary_ in pulling the Souls of Men out of the _Snares_ of the Devil, not only by publick Preaching, but by personal Visits and Counsels, _from house to house_. At such a time as this ought _Churches_ to do something _extraordinary_, in _renewing_ of their Covenants, and in _remembring_, and _reviving_ the Obligations of what they have renewed. Some admirable Designs about the _Reformation_ of Manners, have lately been on foot in the English Nation, in pursuance of the most excellent Admonitions which have been given for it, by the Letters of Their Majesties.[133] Besides the vigorous Agreements of the _Justices_ here and there in the Kingdom, assisted by godly Gentlemen and Informers, to execute the _Laws_ upon prophane Offenders: there has been started a _Proposal_ for the well-affected people in every Parish, to enter into orderly _Societies_, whereof every Member shall bind himself, not only to _avoid_ Prophaneness in himself, but also according unto to their Place, to do their utmost in first _Reproving;_ and, if it must be so, then _Exposing_, and so _Punishing_, as the Law directs, for others that shall be guilty. It has been observed, that the English Nation has had some of its greatest Successes, upon some special and signal _Actions_ this way; and a discouragement given under Legal Proceedings of this kind, must needs be very exercising to the _Wise that observe these things_. But O why should not _New-England_ be the most forward part of the English Nation in such _Reformations?_ Methinks I hear the Lord from Heaven saying over us, _O that my People had hearkened unto me; then I should soon have subdued the Devils, as well as their other Enemies!_ There have been some feeble Essays towards _Reformation_ of late in our _Churches;_ but, I pray what comes of them? Do we stay till the _Storm_ of his _Wrath_ be over? Nay, let us be doing what we can, as fast as we can, to divert the _Storm_. The Devils having broke in upon our World,[134] there is great asking, _Who is it that has brought them in?_ And many do by _Spectral_ Exhibitions come to be _cry'd out_ upon. I hope in Gods time it will be found, that among those that are thus _cry'd out_ upon, there are persons yet _Clear from the great Transgression;_ but indeed, all the _Unreformed_ among us, may justly be _cry'd out_ upon, as having too much of an hand in letting of the Devils into our Borders; 'tis _our_ Worldliness, _our_ Formality, _our_ Sensuality, and _our_ Iniquity that has help'd this letting of the Devils in. O let us then at last, _consider our ways_. 'Tis a strange passage recorded by Mr. _Clark_[135] in the Life of his Father That the People of his Parish, refusing to be Reclaimed from their _Sabbath breaking_, by all the zealous Testimonies which that good Man bore against it; at last, on a night after the people had retired home from a Revelling Prophanation of the _Lords Day_, there