The Reformation of Manners was an ideological drive to bring religious discipline to English parishes between the late 1600s and the early 1700s, and later in the 1780s, with William Wilberforce as a major instigator.
[1] Calvinist theology encouraged a dualistic distinction between the 'godly' and the 'reprobate' of the parish: it was thought that the 'better sort' of inhabitant should be responsible for policing and disciplining the behaviour of their 'vulgar' neighbours.
[2] In practice, the 'word of God' was brought to bear on communities through pastoral supervision, an enforced focus on scriptural education (see Free Grammar School)), attempts to increase literacy, mandatory repetition of catechisms and the suppression of many popular pastimes, including parish wakes, seasonal festivities, drinking and bear-baiting.
Baxter, often referred to as 'the saint of the Puritans', had an exalted view of his ministerial office and pastoral duties, striving to bring moral discipline to his parishioners.
The King responded by issuing a Royal Proclamation in June 1787 urging people of honor and authority to set good examples, purposed to "discount and punish all manner of vice, profaneness, and immorality, in all persons, of whatsoever degree or quality, within this our realm," prohibited gambling on the Lord's Day, declared that all people should attend church, that all persons who drank in excess, blasphemed, swore, cursed, were lewd or profaned the Lord's Day should be prosecuted, ordered that public gambling, disorderly houses.