There is a fascinating exerpt at Pontifications from the "Life of Samuel Johnson" wherein Dr. Johnson propounds his theory of Roman Catholicism, which is surprisingly and pleasantly tolerant. There are discussed auricular confession, the sacrifice of the mass, purgatory, the invocation of saints, predestination, etc. etc. Its an amusing and enlightening passage, and I recommend it to you. Here is a teaser: Boswell recounting his conversation with the Doctor about God's foreknowledge, Predestination and what not:
"I did not press it further, when I perceived that he was displeased, and shrunk from any abridgement of an attribute usually ascribed to the Divinity, however irreconcileable in its full extent with the grand system of moral government. His supposed orthodoxy here cramped the vigourous powers of his understanding."
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