The Signatories of the Orthodox Confession of 1679

Abstract

"STEPHEN DAGNALL, bookseller, was elder of the church at Aylesbury and one of the Twelve Confessors. Edwards in the third part of his Gangraena (1646) mentions" one Dagnell, a Bookseller, a map of errors, who to a godly ministerdenyed original sin, and maintained many other wicked opinions." At this time the Baptists were the most extreme sect in Buckinghamshire, but they were soon assailed by the wild antinomian sect of Shelomethite Ranters, whose centres were at Uxbridge and Abingdon.21 In October, 1650 Dagnall published Raunce Burthall's An old bridle ior ,(J) wilde asse-colt to expose their practices. They claimed to be restored to such perfection that they could not sin; they were above and beyond the Scriptures; Christ was a Ranter, and they were Christ; private property was a devil, and all things were common. "Oh what quicke returnes have they in their journeyes to such places, and houses, where their lanck bellies, and purses, are made Plump." In fact they had "no mqre Religion than a wild Bull"; they would" drink, and tipple and sweare like mad.", John Bunyan was sorely troubled by Ranters of this sect at about this time."