There will sometimes start up a College joker, who does not consider
that what is a joke in a College will not do in the world. To such
defenders of Religion I would apply a stanza of a poem which I remember
to have seen in some old collection:--
"Henceforth be quiet and agree,
Each kiss his empty brother;
Religion scorns a foe like thee,
But dreads a friend like t'other."
The point is well, though the expression is not correct; _one_, and not
_thee, should be opposed to _t'other_[891].'
On the Roman Catholick religion he said, 'If you join the Papists
externally, they will not interrogate you strictly as to your belief in
their tenets. No reasoning Papist believes every article of their faith.
There is one side on which a good man might be persuaded to embrace it.
A good man of a timorous disposition, in great doubt of his acceptance
with GOD, and pretty credulous, might be glad to be of a church where
there, are so many helps to get to Heaven. I would be a Papist if I
could. I have fear enough; but an obstinate rationality prevents me.
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