But he could not get any further than that in what he meant to say! For his father's arms were round him, and his father's voice was saying in the old familiar tones, "Bring hither the best robe, and put it on him! And put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet; and bring here the fatted calf and let us make a feast; for this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found!" Children, we have here a picture of the way our loving Heavenly Father welcomes back those who have wandered from Him. His heart is full of love; He grieves that we want to take our own way, and go far-off from Him. But if we are sorry, and come back to His loving arms, we shall find that they will open to receive us; He will put the best robe upon us, and He will prepare a feast for us; and there shall be joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner repenting! Do you want to know what the "best robe" means? It is the Robe of Christ's righteousness. For Christ's sake, who has shed His precious blood to make us clean and white, we can be dressed in that perfect robe; and then we shall be fit to join in the feast and the rejoicings, which are coming by and by in heaven. XXIX. The Pharisee and the Publican Two men were wending their way towards God's Temple at Jerusalem, a Pharisee and a Publican. There, on a hill, stood the beautiful building with its white marble pillars glistening in the sun; and as they walked along the hot roads towards God's House, their thoughts were very different. They knew that God's Holy Presence was in that Temple to which they were going, and one of them thought with awe that he would soon be in the place where he would meet with God. The other man was thinking entirely about himself, and nothing at all about God. So they ascended the many steps leading up into the Temple, and at last stood within the Sacred House. * * * * * And then the Pharisee thought of how he understood all about God's law, and how he did not need anyone to teach him what was written in the Scriptures. But he did not know two things which would have made him a different man—he did not know his own heart, and he did not know God's heart. He did not know that his own heart was full of pride and love of self; he did not know that God's heart was full of pity and tender love towards sinful men who came to Him to be forgiven. So the Pharisee began to pray. And when the Lord Jesus told us this story about him, He said "he stood and prayed thus with himself." But he began his prayer like this:— "God! I thank thee that I am not like other men! I am not one who exacts more than I should from others; I am not unjust or impure; or even like this Publican. I fast twice in every week, and I give tithes of everything I have." Then the Pharisee, having finished his prayer, went down once more to his home.