Averrois had other thoughts, more absurd and far more in agreeable to reason. For he advocated that each sphere was an intellect, or an intelligent nature. The occasion or cause of these foolish thoughts was that he saw the infallibly perfect and most regular motion of the heavenly bodies. Therefore he thought these spheres were intelligent substances, each setting itself in motion in a sure and continuous manner. But from this follows the greatest and worst ignorance of God; wherefore we repudiate the thoughts of Averrois. But the others, which we have mentioned, we approve in so far as they are useful to be taught. For indeed this knowledge of the motion of the heavenly bodies is most worthy of all praise, however little that knowledge may be. Moses however proceeds with his narrative of the creation in all simplicity and plainness, as they say; making here three divisions: waters "above" the firmament, waters "under" the firmament, and "the firmament" in the middle. In the term heaven, Moses comprehends all that body which philosophers represent by their eight spheres, by fire and by air. For the sacred historian makes no mention of the flowing of the waters until the third day. And it is manifest that the air in which we live is called in the holy Scriptures the heaven; because the Scriptures speak of the "fowls of heaven," Job 28:21; Ps. 8:8. It also speaks of the heavens being shut when it does not rain, 1 Kings 8:35. And again it speaks of the heavens giving their dew, Zech. 8:12; all these things take place in the air, not in the spheres of the moon or of the other planets. This distinction of the spheres therefore is not Mosaic nor scriptural but is an invention of men as an aid to instruction on these astronomical subjects; and which ought not to be despised as such an assistance. And although they say that the elements are corruptible, yet I doubt it, for I see indeed that they remain. And although a part at times is changed, yet it follows that the whole will be changed; but these changes of the elements are only in part. Thus the air remains unchanged in which the birds live and fly; also the earth upon which the trees and other things grow, though certain parts of the same are changed. Now Aristotle makes the cause of all these things the first mover, _primum motorem_. Averrois however says the cause of these motions are _"formae assistentes a foris;"_ that is, intelligent natures which move from without. Following Moses we say that all these things are brought forth and governed simply by the Word of God. He spake and it was done. He never commanded that the angels should govern these bodies; just as we ourselves are not governed by the angels, although we are guarded and kept by the angels.