Hence we find, that the Jews prayed towards the Temple, which was a Type of Heaven, and the Altar and Incense and Mercy-seat in this Temple were Types of Christ, who is now in Heaven. And therefore Daniel, when in Babylon, he prayed, his Window being open towards Jerusalem, towards the Temple; as if no Prayer were acceptable to God, but what was heard in Heaven. So Jonah, when he was in the Belly of the Whale, Jonah 2.7. My Prayer came in unto thee, into thine Holy Temple. Jonah was a strong Orator when he was in the slimy Paunch of the Whale; yea, but God was there, and God heard him there; but yet his Prayer would have been as filthy as his ⟨p. 457⟩Person, if God had not heard him elsewhere than in the Belly of the Whale. My Prayer came in unto thee, into thine Holy Temple. That is, God heard him in Heaven. And therefore, though the Breath of Jonah could have no sweetness, yet the Prayer that he breathed forth, came up as Incense and a sweet Perfume before God as it came into the Holy Temple. Thus God hears the Prayers of his in Heaven; but the Prayers of the wicked he hears only upon Earth; he hears them when they speak them, but God never hears their Prayers in the Mediation of Christ; but the Prayers of his own People he hears on Earth, as he is an omnipresent and omnipotent God; and he hears them in Heaven as he is a gracious and reconciled Father. If thou dost but Whisper thy Prayer, God will hear it; that which is but whispered on Earth, it rings and echo's in the Court of Heaven; and if Christ speaks your Prayers over to God, they become so loud, that God cannot stop his Ears against them. The Voice of Prayer is not like other Voices, the further they reach the weaker they grow; no, that Voice which is so weak that it cannot ⟨p. 458⟩be heard beyond the compass of thy Closet, yet when it is put forth in Prayer, it fills all Heaven with its sound. But where is the encouragement unto Prayer in all this? If thou dost belong to God, thou mayst have great encouragement to Prayer from the Consideration of his Omnipresence; for because of this there is no Prayer of a Child of God but shall be heard in Heaven tho' it be uttered in secret: For consider, that tho' Christ, as Man, is only in Heaven, yet Christ, as God, is everywhere present, and hears the Prayers of all Men in the World. Those that are wicked he regards no further, but gives them the hearing;
Hence we find, that the Jews prayed towards the Temple, which was a Type of Heaven, and the Altar and Incense and Mercy-seat in this Temple were Types of Christ, who is now in Heaven. And therefore Daniel, when in Babilon, he prayed, his Window being open towards Jerusalem, towards the Temple; as if no Prayer were acceptable to God, but what was heard in Heaven. So Jonah, when he was in the Belly of the Whale, Jonah 2.7. My Prayer came in unto thee, into thine Holy Temple. Jonah was a strong Orator when he was in the slimy Paunch of the Whale; yea, but God was there, and God heard him there; but yet his Prayer would have been as filthy as his ⟨p. 457⟩Person, if God had not heard him elsewhere than in the Belly of the Whale. My Prayer came in unto thee, into thine Holy Temple. That is, God heard him in Heaven. And therefore, though the Breath of Jonah could have no sweetness, yet the Prayer that he breathed forth, came up as Incense and a sweet Perfume before God as it came into the Holy Temple. Thus God hears the Prayers of his in Heaven; but the Prayers of the wicked he hears only upon Earth; he hears them when they speak them, but God never hears their Prayers in the Mediation of Christ; but the Prayers of his own People he hears on Earth, as he is an omnipresent and omnipotent God; and he hears them in Heaven as he is a gracious and reconciled Father. If thou dost but Whisper thy Prayer, God will hear it; that which is but whispered on Earth, it rings and eccho's in the Court of Heaven; and if Christ speaks your Prayers over to God, they become so loud, that God cannot stop his Ears against them. The Voice of Prayer is not like other Voices, the further they reach the weaker they grow; no, that Voice which is so weak that it cannot ⟨p. 458⟩be heard beyond the compass of thy Closet, yet when it is put forth in Prayer, it fills all Heaven with its sound. But where is the encouragement unto Prayer in all this? If thou dost belong to God, thou may'st have great encouragement to Prayer from the Consideration of his Omnipresence; for because of this there is no Prayer of a Child of God but shall be heard in Heaven tho' it be uttered in secret: For consider, that tho' Christ, as Man, is only in Heaven, yet Christ, as God, is everywhere present, and hears the Prayers of all Men in the World. Those that are wicked he regards no further, but gives them the hearing;
