Chapter III: Part II

The Author’s Introduction. The Twenty-Six Propositions
employed by the Philosophers to prove the Existence of God 145

CHAPTER.
I Philosophical proofs for the Existence, Incorporeality,
and Unity of the First Cause 149
II On the Existence of Intelligences or purely Spiritual
Beings 154
III The Author adopts the Theory of Aristotle as least
open to Objections 156
IV The Spheres and the Causes of their Motion 156
V Agreement of the Aristotelian Theory with the Teaching
of Scripture 159
VI What is meant by the Scriptural Term “Angels” 160
VII The Homonymity of the term “Angel” 162
VIII On the Music of the Spheres 163
IX On the Number of the Heavenly Spheres 163
X The Influence of the Spheres upon the Earth manifests
itself in four different ways 164
XI The Theory of Eccentricity Preferable to that of
Epicycles 166
XII On the Nature of the Divine Influence and that of
the Spheres 168
XIII Three Different Theories about the Beginning of the
Universe 171
XIV Seven Methods by which the Philosophers sought to
prove the Eternity of the Universe 174
XV Aristotle does not scientifically demonstrate his
Theory 176
XVI The Author refutes all Objections to Creatio ex
nihilo 178
XVII The Laws of Nature apply to Things Created, but do
not regulate the Creative Act which produces them 178
XVIII Examinations of the Proofs of Philosophers for the
Eternity of the Universe 181
XIX Design in Nature 184
XX The Opinion of Aristotle as regards Design in Nature 189
XXI Explanation of the Aristotelian Theory that the
Universe is the necessary Result of the First Cause 190
XXII Objections to the Theory of the Eternity of the
Universe 192
XXIII The Theory of Creatio ex nihilo is preferable to
that of the Eternity of the Universe 195
XXIV Difficulty of Comprehending the Nature and the Motion
of the Spheres according to the Theory of Aristotle 196
XXV The Theory of Creation is adopted because of its own
Superiority, the Proofs based on Scripture being
Inconclusive 199
XXVI Examination of a passage from Pirḳe di-Rabbi Eliezer
in reference to Creation 200
XXVII The Theory of a Future Destruction of the Universe is
not part of the Religious Belief taught in the Bible 201
XXVIII Scriptural Teaching is in favour of the
Indestructibility of the Universe 202
XXIX Explanation of Scriptural Phrases implying the
Destruction of Heaven and Earth 204
XXX Philosophical Interpretation of Genesis i.-iv. 212
XXXI The Institution of the Sabbath serves (1) to Teach
the Theory of Creation, and (2) to promote Man’s
Welfare 218
XXXII Three Theories concerning Prophecy 219
XXXIII The Difference between Moses and the other Israelites
as regards the Revelation on Mount Sinai 221
XXXIV Explanation of Exodus xxiii. 20 223
XXXV The Difference between Moses and the other Prophets
as regards the Miracles wrought by them 223
XXXVI On the Mental, Physical and Moral Faculties of the
Prophets 225
XXXVII On the Divine Influence upon Man’s Imaginative and
Mental Faculties through the Active Intellect 227
XXXVIII Courage and Intuition reach the highest degree of
Perfection in Prophets 229
XXXIX Moses was the fittest Prophet to Receive and
Promulgate the Immutable Law, which succeeding
Prophets merely Taught and Expounded 231
XL The Test of True Prophecy 232
XLI What is Meant by “Vision” 234
XLII Prophets Received Direct Communication only in Dreams
or Visions 236
XLIII On the Allegories of the Prophets 238
XLIV On the Different Modes in which Prophets Receive
Divine Messages 240
XLV The Various Classes of Prophets 241
XLVI The Allegorical Acts of Prophets formed Parts of
Prophetic Visions 245
XLVII On the Figurative Style of the Prophetic Writings 247
XLVIII Scripture ascribes Phenomena directly produced by
Natural Causes to God as the First Cause of all
things 249