Abednego Seller

Abednego Seller (–1705) was an English non-juring divine and controversial writer.

Life Seller was born to Richard Seller in Plymouth in around 1646, and matriculated at Lincoln College, Oxford as a servitor, on 26 April 1662. He left Oxford without a degree, and took a job, On 11 March 1665 he was ordained deacon by Seth Ward at Exeter; but did not proceed to the priesthood until 22 December 1672, when he was ordained by Bishop Anthony Sparrow in Exeter Cathedral.

Seller was instituted to the rectory of Combe-in-Teignhead, near Teignmouth, Devonshire, on 29 March 1682, and vacated it on 8 September 1686 when he became vicar of Charles Church, Plymouth. Refusing the oaths to William III and Mary II, the new sovereigns, he was deprived of the vicarage, and his successor was admitted to it on 2 September 1690.

Works Seller was the author of: It was translated into Welsh about 1790, and reprinted in 1803 and 1822, with a preface (1822) by Thomas Tregenna Biddulph. In 1883, it was reproduced by the Religious Tract Society as the third of its "Companions for a Quiet Hour". It shows the influence of the Whole Duty of Man (Academy, 12 Jan. 1884, p. 24). Remarques relating to the state of the Church of the First Centuries; with Animadversions on J. H.'s “View of Antiquity” (anon.), 1680, dedicated to William Cave, against Jonathan Hanmer of Barnstaple. The Devout Communicant assisted with Rules, together with Meditations, Prayers, and Anthems for Every Day of the Holy Week, 1686; 6th edit. 1695. Revised and enlarged, republished in 1704 as The Good Man's Preparation for the Receiving of the Blessed Sacrament, and then dedicated to Sir William Boothby. Remarks upon the Reflections of the Author of Popery Misrepresented on his answerer, particularly as to the Deposing Doctrine (anon.), 1686; commentary on the controversy between John Goter and Edward Stillingfleet. A Plain Answer to a Popish Priest questioning the Orders of the Church of England (anon.), 1688.

Seller assisted William Cave in his Historia Literaria (1688). He probably also wrote A Letter to the Author of a late paper entituled “A Vindication of the Divines of the Church of England” in defence of the “History of Passive Obedience” (anon.), 1689.