It is a very common thing for persons to say that there is no harm in such or such an amusement; by which they mean that there is no profligacy. But conformity to the world is a totally different thing to profligacy; and though there is no profligacy, there may be the most thoroughgoing worldliness. The world, in many cases, condemns open vice as much as the people of God do. It is most unjust in its sentence; as, for example, when it brands the poor woman with infamy, and admits her abominable betrayer into the unrestrained enjoyment of society. But in many cases it is extremely severe, and it would not be just, or true, to identify it with debauchery or low-lived habits. It is altogether far more refined in its character; and though it may be perfectly true of a young man that he is quite steady, and free from low vice, it may be equally true that there is no love of the Lord Jesus in his heart, and that he belongs entirely to those described by the Psalmist, ‘the men of the world, who have their portion in this life.’ It may be quite impossible to lay your hand upon any one thing that he does, and pronounce it immoral; but equally impossible to discover in him anything that savours of the things which be of God, or that proves him one of those whose conversation is in heaven. I regard this distinction between immorality and worldliness as one of the utmost importance in the consideration of the subject; for I have known many cases in which Christian parents bring questions to the test of immorality, rather than to that of worldliness. If there be no immorality in any course of action they are satisfied, without stopping to consider whether it is most in harmony with the mind of the world or with the mind of God. But, if immorality and worldliness are entirely distinct in their character, it is clear that this latter test is the only one on which we can rely. If the mind of the world were the same as the mind of God, then, of course, we ought to be satisfied if there is nothing in a young person’s conduct which the world condemns; but if it be a fact that the mind of the world is opposed to the mind of God, then in His sight we may be altogether wrong, though the world can discover no harm whatever in our conduct. A young person may be quite steady, and yet altogether worldly; quite free from habits of dissipation, but conformed at the same time to the world; perfectly moral, but of the world, and in it.