it is preceded by this introduction from Elias
TO THE READER.
Courteous Reader,
THE following Sermon was preached in the year 1812; but I had no intention at that time for it to be printed; nor had I endeavoured to set it forth in a proper method for publication. I was induced to preach on the text in Lam 3.27 by a heart-felt sorrow on account of the multitude of young people in Wales, who live according to their own sinful lusts, and under the dominion of Satan, rejecting the yoke of Christ, behaving themselves as if it were lawful for them to live ungodly while young, and to spend the days of their youth without being under the yoke and government of Christ; presuming that to live religiously for a few days under affliction, and in old age, will be sufficient. It grieved me to the heart to see the flower of men's time spent in the service of sin and Satan, and death seizing many of them without being under the yoke of Christ, and so thousands of them meet with the most dreadful disappointment. From these considerations, I endeavoured to shew them the miserable condition of those who were not under the yoke of Christ, with the preciousness and advantage of being under his yoke, and the special privilege of bearing it in the days of youth, &c. After some years had elapsed, some of my brethren informed me, that it had pleased the Lord to make use of the Sermon concerning the yoke, (imperfect as it was,) to be the means of bringing several young people to accept of Christ's yoke. They desired me to publish it: I opposed their intreaties for a long time; but at length, fearing I might sin in disobeying, I complied with their request. Having a few notes preserved on the text, and also a pretty full manuscript sent me from a young man who had wrote while I was preaching the Sermon, I endeavoured to recollect, so far as I was able, the things I had preached, and wrote them in the following manner, and suffered the Sermon to be printed. And although I know there is neither excellency nor perfection in the work, nevertheless, God, w ho is pleased to make use of weak means, may bless this poor Sermon for the good of some souls, and the glory of his own name; and if that shall be effected, I shall obtain all I desire, and shall be very willing to bear the blame of all my imperfections. That many may be brought under the yoke of Christ, and that those who are under it may be made submissive and thankful, is the prayer of
Your servant in the Gospel of Christ,
Llanfechell, July 10, 1818. JOHN ELIAS
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