The world's haunts of vanity

(Horatius Bonar, "The Church Dwelling Alone")

"Even now you are filled with a glorious, inexpressible joy!"
    1 Peter 1:8

Christian! You do not need to borrow joy from the world!

O child of God, is not the joy of God enough for you?

Do you require . . .
  the pleasures of sin,
  the gaieties of the ballroom,
  the excitement of the theater,
  the music of the opera,
  the frivolities of the world's card-table,
  the stolen pleasures of the dance,
to make up for 'deficiencies' in what God has given you?

If He has not given enough joy, go tell Him, and He will
give you more. But do not go to His enemies to borrow!
Do not go to the world's haunts of vanity, where the
lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eye, and the pride
of life are cherished!

Christian, be separate! Do not seek the joys of the world!
Don't you know that the friendship of the world is enmity
with God? If you have any sympathies with that world--if it
contains attractions for you--if God, and the things of God,
are not enough for you--there is something wrong!

Do not love the world! Do not seek its friendship! Seek
the things above! Beware of the fascinations of worldly
company, and the spells of worldly gaiety. Do not be
whirled away into the tossing current of mirthful society!

Be separate! That is your security, your strength, your
influence. Let the world see that you are not of it--and
that you do not need it!