:

1

OF ALL THE

RELIGIONS,

AND VARIOUS

SECTS IN RELIGION,

That have prevailed in the World,

IN ALL NATIONS, AND IN ALL AGES,
From the earliest Account of Time, to the present Period, from the
most indifputable Tradition;

SHEWING SOME OF THEIR GROSS ABSURDITIES,

SHOCKING IMPIETIES,

AND RIDICULOUS INCONSISTENCES;

EXTRACTED

From ANCIENT and MODERN HISTORY,

And fome of the most Illustrious Philosophers:

A History so replete with an almost incredible diversity of Sentiments
and Opinions, as cannot fail to excite in the Mind Wonder and
Astonishment, while it affords a no les pleasing Entertainment.

BY WILLIAM HECKFORD, Esq.

And if it seem Evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom
you will ferve, whether the Gods which your Fathers served, that were on
the other Side of the Flood, or the Gods of the Amorites, in whose Land ye
dwell: but as for me and my House, we will ferve the Lord.

JOSHUA, ch. xxiv. ver. 15.
Fear God and keep his Commandments: for this is the whole Duty of Man.
ECCLESIASTES, ch. xii. ver. 13.

LONDON:

PRINTED FOR WILLIAM LANE,

AT THE

Minerva Press,

LEADENHALL STREET.

M DCC XC1.

PREFACE.

1

HISTORY is generally allowed by all diftinguished writers, to be the most instructing and useful branch of literature, and as no work of this kind (divested of all extraneous matter) has ever appeared in this shape, it cannot fail to render the ensuing pages entertaining to a curious and inquifitive mind, and needs little further apology to the reader.

The many glaring absurdities, and shocking impieties to be met with in the course