dies without established habits of virtue, without a reigning desire to obey God, namely, that he may experience the same dislike of such habits hereafter as now, and then, supposing it to go on so, what shall become of him?

Pity is it that we cannot bring ourselves to believe, what is so fatally true, that we shall feel the same indisposition to be virtuous and deny our lusts to-morrow that we feel to-day, and the succeeding day as to-morrow, and ten years hence as now. It is ever to-morrow, and tomorrow, and to-morrow, or, on my next birth day, or, the beginning of the next year; and when those days come, there is the same backwardness in the soul to do this great and pressing work, and it is again deferred. "Now is the accepted time and the day of salvation." The true Christian knows not of to-morrrow. He does not acknowledge it in his calendar of time. of holy resolves and good purposes, the doomsday of the soul, and he abjures it.

It is the grave

Let us not count on to-morrow, nor rely upon its opportunities. Its offers, like those of a false friend, are fair, exceeding fair; but they are treacherous, and will fail us in our need. The work of religion, if it ever begin, begins to day-never on the morrow.

THE

THEOLOGY

OF THE

CAMBRIDGE DIVINITY SCHOOL.

BY F. W. P. GREENWOOD.

SECOND EDITION.

PRINTED FOR THE

American Unitarian Association.

BOSTON,

GRAY AND BOWEN, 135 WASHINGTON STREET.

1830.

Price 3 Cents.

THIS Tract was delivered as the Annual Discourse before the Society for promoting Theological Education in Harvard College, on Sunday Evening, January 3, 1830. The Executive Committee of the AMERICAN UNITARIAN ASSOCIATION have obtained the permission of the writer, and of the Directors of the Society, to publish it in their series, being anxious to give the widest possible circulation to the statements and arguments, by which the great religious charity of the day,' is here recommended to attention.

BOSTON...I. R. BUTTS, PRINTER.

CAMBRIDGE DIVINITY SCHOOL.

ALL those who are interested in the great subject of theological instruction, may be supposed to feel some solicitude with regard to its character, and some preference for one kind over another.

Among the numerous sects into which the religious community is divided, it is not difficult to discern some great dividing lines which mark off the district into fewer and larger portions. According as they are convinced or disposed, most people take their stand on one side or the other of these general lines, and their views of almost all topics connected with religion are characterized by their respective localities. The creeds adopted by those who dwell in one of these territories, though differing from each other in perhaps many points, will all bear the same broad and distinctive features of a common resemblance; while the creeds of their neighbors of the opposite tract, with similar minor disagreements among themselves, will have a similar family likeness; and these two sets of creeds will be as unlike, each to each, as could be conceived possible, when we consider that both claim the same original, and refer to the same law and testimony. The general opinions always, and the minute and particular opinions often, which men prefer and adopt, they naturally wish to have inculcated by teachers who are in

every way qualified to recommend and enforce them. Such a desire is the cause of the favor, patronage and support which are extended by different bodies of christian beleivers to different schools and institutions in which theological instruction is afforded to those, who in their turn are to instruct others. A restricted and exclusive institution, furnished with professors who stand on an exclusive creed, and who very probably are chained down to it, is favored by those who love and embrace an exclusive system of religion; and an institution which is more free in its character, will naturally be preferred by those whose faith is free, and whose charity is comprehensive.

It will be my endeavor, on this occasion, to describe the general features of that theology which many of our most enlightened and excellent citizens throughout the country, and especially in this portion of it, prefer, from honest conviction, and the dissemination of which is demanded by the state of religious parties among us, and the condition of the public mind, and demanded, as I believe, with a louder and louder call every day. In portraying these features, I am persuaded that I shall delineate such a theology as was in the mind, and heart, and purpose of those who first united to promote Christian education in Harvard University. It is such a theology, too, as is longed and panted after by thousands of our brethren who are so scattered abroad in our land, that they cannot unite, and who must therefore be satisfied to possess and cherish the solitary truth, as they can, each in his individual bosom. It is such a theology, too, as is the real object of the dim vision, and uncertain desire, and inexpressible want of thousands more, who, wearied and repelled by the strange forms of Christianity which are