going there as men of the world, without letting it be felt that we have sought the Master’s presence, and are anxious for the Master’s glory. FRIENDS. There is conformity to the world in our _choice of friends_. I say ‘our choice of friends,’ because there are many given us by God without any choice of our own. There are often dearly-beloved relations respecting whom we may feel a deep anxiety; but that anxiety must not deaden the affections, or take away the natural love which God Himself has planted towards them. But these are not our chosen friends, not those whom we have sought out or made for ourselves. But there is probably scarcely anything that marks a character more than its friendships. Nothing can be stronger than the Scripture is upon this subject, ‘Know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity against God? Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.’ (James, iv. 4.) Thus there is a direct act of conformity to the world in the cultivation of worldly friendships. If the people of God are thought dull, and are therefore disregarded, while we seek our friendships from those who belong to the world, it shows that there is no affinity with the people of God, and I fear we must go one step further, and say, no real love for God Himself; for the words of Scripture are perfectly plain, ‘Every one that loveth him that begat, loveth him also that is begotten of him.’ (1 John, v. 1.) AMUSEMENTS. But now I come to that which, I am inclined to think, is the most difficult portion of our whole subject, viz.—_amusements_. We are conformed to the world when we go into _many of the amusements of the world_. I say ‘into many,’ because I cannot say all, as many do not belong exclusively to the world, but are a legitimate source of recreation to the children of God; and this it is that makes the subject so pre-eminently difficult. There are, however, a few general principles which may help to guide us. (1.) The Christian man has no place in those amusements _which have become practically connected with immorality and open wickedness_. This principle will clear off a great many at once; such, for example, as theatres, operas, and races. There is no harm in racing a horse, acting a play, or the performance of beautiful music, regarded in the abstract; but in practical life they are mixed up with gambling, fraud, profligacy, and the degradation of female character. The mischief has become part and parcel of the system, so that the Christian man has nothing to do but to withdraw. He is not called to reform the racecourse, the ballet, or the stage, so that his only course is to have nothing whatever to do with them.