Heaven is sometimes expressed with an addition, the highest heavens, the third heavens, in 2 Cor. 12.12. The heaven of heavens, 1 King. 8.27. Paul was rapt up to the third heavens, that is, in visions and revelations he was brought as near to God himself, as a creature possibly can. Of this heaven we are to understand that, Gen. 1.1. where Moses saith, In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth, and the earth was without form and void. He doth not say, the heaven which God created at first, was without form and void, but the earth was without form and void; for that heaven was a perfect creature. We read further of the creating of those heavens which we see, of the visible heavens, which are the continent of the Sun, Moon and Stars. But, In the beginning God created the heaven; that heaven which by way of eminency is called, The habitation of his holiness, and of his glory, Isa. 63.15. This was created in the beginning, and then, it is conceived the Angels were likewise created; but the earth which was then made was an imperfect creature, and all other corporeal creatures with ⟨p. 200⟩their several forms and fullness were extracted out of that earth, which was without form and void. The very heavens (which we see) were made out of that first earth, the Sun, Moon, and the Stars, yea, the very light it self was made out of that earth, that general heap of matter which the Lord created at first, and is said to have been without form and void. But the heaven, which we call the heaven of heavens, the third heaven, or the highest heaven, was a perfect creature the first day, made without any pre-existent matter whatsoever by the power of God. This heaven is the largest of all the heavens which God spread out.
Heaven is sometimes expressed with an addition, the highest heavens, the third heavens, in 2 Cor. 12.12. The heaven of heavens, 1 King. 8.27. Paul was rapt up to the third heavens, that is, in visions and revelations he was brought as neer to God himself, as a creature possibly can. Of this heaven we are to understand that, Gen. 1.1. where Moses saith, In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth, and the earth was without form and void. He doth not say, the heaven which God created at first, was without form and void, but the earth was without form and void; for that heaven was a perfect creature. We read further of the creating of those heavens which we see, of the visible heavens, which are the continent of the Sunne, Moon and Starres. But, In the beginning God created the heaven; that heaven which by way of eminency is called, The habitation of his holinesse, and of his glory, Isa. 63.15. This was created in the beginning, and then, it is conceived the Angels were likewise created; but the earth which was then made was an imperfect creature, and all other corporeall creatures with ⟨p. 200⟩their severall forms and fulnesse were extracted out of that earth, which was without form and void. The very heavens (which we see) were made out of that first earth, the Sunne, Moon, and the Stars, yea, the very light it self was made out of that earth, that generall heap of matter which the Lord created at first, and is said to have been without form and void. But the heaven, which we call the heaven of heavens, the third heaven, or the highest heaven, was a perfect creature the first day, made without any pre-existent matter whatsoever by the power of God. This heaven is the largest of all the heavens which God spread out.
