The article entitled "Roll up the Catalogue" in the July number of HELP AND FOOD contains timely and much-needed exhortation for the Lord's people. It is just in line with some scriptures lately noticed in the thirty-seventh psalm ; a few words about them may be helpful.

" Fret not thyself because of evil-doers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity." At first sight this might seem to apply only to the prosperous, wealthy man of the world, whom the believer, as he follows the narrow way, is often tempted to envy ; but why does it not apply with equal force to the evil-doer in ourselves and our fellow-believers-" Not I but sin that dwelleth in me?"

Some of us perhaps have learned enough of " the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him," the " inheritance incorruptible and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for us," so that we are not often troubled with envy at the present prosperity of the ungodly. The experience of the seventy-third psalm has perhaps been ours, and, like David, "in the sanctuary," our eyes have been opened to see their end, and the insecurity and worthlessness of their possessions compared with ours. If we have learned this lesson, we can claim no glory on account of it-that is all due to Him who has taught us to estimate the values of things "according to the shekel of the sanctuary."

But how many of us have ceased to fret ourselves because of the evil-doer who is continually manifesting himself in the saints? Especially if his evil-doing in any way touches us (and doubtless there are many who have sufficient love for the saints and care for the Lord's glory to be quite as troubled when it stumbles them or dishonors Him ; but oftener, we fear, it is only wounded pride which causes us to fret).If we look at the second verse of this psalm, we shall find the reason God gives us for not fretting ourselves. God, in His great grace, often reasons with us about His ways, and patiently tells us why He gives us such and such commands. Thus we are led to see that " His commandments are not grievous," and it is often in considering the reason that we find willingness and power to obey the command. A few examples may make this plainer. In i Jno. 2:15 we find the command, " Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world." There as on follows-"For all that is in the world-the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life-is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof; but he that doeth the will of God abideth forever."Heb. 11:8-"By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed ; and he went out, . . . for he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God."

Heb 13:16-"But to do good and to communicate forget not, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased."

" Fret not thyself because of evil-doers, … for they shall soon be cut down as the grass, and wither as the green herb." It is always easier to endure trial when we know that it will not last long.

Of the evil-doer in the believer God has written " condemned " (Rom. 8:3), " crucified " (Gal. 2:20), " dead " (Rom. 6:8; Col. 3:3). Such is he now in God's sight; but he is not yet " cut off," nor will we be loosed from him until we hear the shout of our returning Lord, and are changed into His likeness. Now when we are fretting ourselves over some fellow-believer's sin, would it not help us to be patient and gracious with him if we remembered that it is not he, but sin that dwelleth in him, that is at fault,-this same evil-doer that "'shall soon be cut down," and is already dead in God's sight? So also when Satan tempts us to fret and worry over our own continual failures, let us remember again that "evil-doers shall soon be cut down." Thus we shall be enabled to "rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him," knowing that at His coming we shall be freed from the presence of in dwelling sin. Our responsibility to "sin not "is none the less:sin surely is most grievous in God's sight, and no doubt will cause the believer ".godly sorrow" ("sorrow according to God"-2 Cor. 7:9, margin), but fretting over it is not the remedy. Immediate confession and consequent restoration is God's way (i Jno. 1:9); then we are privileged to forget it, as God does, and go on our way rejoicing. It is surely a device of Satan to keep us so much occupied with the old dead thing in ourselves and other saints. How much better to " know no man after the flesh," but rather to seek the acquaintance and edification of the new man in Christ ! May God give us grace oftener to look upon our brethren as He did upon his people of old when Balaam testified, " He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob, neither hath He seen perverseness in Israel."

Satan's great desire is, to keep God's saints fretted aud troubled like himself; as it is written, "The wicked are like the troubled sea when it cannot rest." But our God would have us"careful for nothing." Then let us commit our ways unto the Lord, trust also in Him, and He shall bring to pass. Our adversary the devil, the arch-evil-doer, "shall soon be cut down" for it is written, "The God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly." "Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent, that ye may be found of Him in peace, without spot, and blameless."