ONE of the things remembered from early childhood is a notice that used to stand in a farmyard: “Beware of man-traps.” The mind formed its own conception. of these mysterious words, and used to wonder what would be the fate of any person who did not beware. Since that time, I have become acquainted with other kinds of both traps and warnings; and have also had many desires to warn others of the seen and unseen snares laid for their unwary feet.
It is frequently the case that natural objects arc capable of furnishing illustrations of both moral and spiritual truths and principles. One of the most interesting flowers in nature is that which grows on what is called the “pitcher-plant,” because the flowers resemble a jug or pitcher in shape. The flower secretes a sweet juice, which is also very sticky; and this fluid attracts flies and other insects to the already attractive flower. In addition to this, the flower is provided with a kind of lid, which is sensitive to the touch of an object; and as a result, when an insect “walks into the pretty parlor,” the lid closes after it, and renders escape very difficult. And more than this: it is not so easy to walk out of the flower as it is to walk into it. Besides being uphill, the feet are clogged with the sticky fluid.
Now, is not this exactly what takes place with respect to many of the traps and snares that are laid for the purpose of ensnaring unwary souls? There is, first, on the outside, much that is attractive and therefore alluring. There is, further, the prospect of something sweet when the inside shall have been gained. And there is, also, the difficulty of escape from the danger when it has been perceived.
O, how many snares there are that answer to this threefold description! The theater is one; and this appears to be a very enticing snare to thousands. Worldly pleasure, in its varied kinds, is another; and we have the assurance of God’s Holy Word that the heart of man by nature is a lover of pleasures rather than of God. The same unerring Word tells us that there are pleasures in sin, though these are but for a season.
I need not enumerate the many kinds of ensnaring things, baited with promises of pleasure and even of profit, that are adapted to captivate the minds of the young especially. They are well-known to many of my readers. Access to them, as to the pitcher-plant, is made attractive and easy; and escape from the results, as in the sensitive flower, is rendered very difficult.
The best way of preventing the results here named is to keep away from the trap. I believe that a well balanced mind, with sobriety of temperament, and a clear perception of things, will keep many persons from evils that are eagerly followed by others. But I should not like to omit saying here that the grand preservative from the seductions of sin is to have the fear of God implanted in the heart. The writer of this has never been inside a theater, except once for a gospel purpose; he has never played at cards, or been to a racecourse. It will therefore probably be said by some that he cannot rightly judge of the danger of these things. But this is quite a mistake. He has been into a chemist’s shop, and knows perfectly well that he need not take a dose of strychnine to ascertain whether that would poison him. No; blessed be God, he has been put into possession of that which is far sweeter than all the poor sweets of time, and earth, and sin and of that which is sweeter in its nature and essence too. He has known times, also, when if all the sweetest things in nature were presented to him, he would not exchange his better joys to become possessed of them. And he ventures to add something more to this: he has known seasons of sorrow wherein he would rather have his sorrow than the worldling’s joy and pleasure.
I believe that the outside of a prison, of a theater, and of a public house, is a far safer place than the inside. The same applies to mouse traps, rat traps, and all kinds of man traps.
I once watched a man who was fishing in the two ponds at the foot of Burley Wood, in Rutlandshire. I ventured to ask him if he used the same kind of bait for different kinds of fish. I might not have been quite so ignorant as my question indicated; but the fact is that I am ever on the lookout for facts which will be useful as illustrations in the Lord’s service. Somewhat amused with my question, the angler condescended to inform me that it was necessary to adapt the bait to the fish he wished to catch. And this is exactly what I am now desirous of doing; though I am using a net instead of a rod and line. And this is exactly what Satan does in trying to catch his unwary victims. He seldom or never tempted me, when young, with worldly pleasures, but adapted his temptations to my temperament. If I were on a long sea voyage, I should not offer a tract on the evils of horse racing. If visiting the workhouse, I should not present tracts on the love of finery in dress. These would be greatly out of place in both instances.
I should have liked also to speak of the deeper snares laid by the enemy of precious souls to hinder their salvation. He sometimes suggests that one is too young to be saved, or too great a sinner to become a believer. At other times he will suggest that a person is too old, or too far gone, to be saved at all; or that there could not be mercy for him if he cried for it. But I would assure my fellow-sinner that he cannot be either too young or too old to be saved, if he really feels he needs salvation. And I have never yet found a sinner who was too great a sinner for the Lord to save. He delights in saving sinners; it gives Him more joy to save them than it gives them to be saved.
O my fellow-sinner, read His blessed Word, and there see how He saved Manasseh, David, Saul of Tarsus, the dying thief, the woman without a name (Luke 7), and many others who surely were great sinners. One of these called himself the “chief of sinners” and spoke of his salvation as a specimen of what the Lord could do to others. Do not begin to listen to any suggestion that would limit His power or His mercy in this matter.
It is a great favor to be delivered from the snares of sin, and to have a gracious and willing liberty to serve Him “whose service is perfect freedom.” The willing bondage of the service of Christ is far sweeter than the fancied liberty of the slavery of sin. Do you know this?