r knowledge of the first of the Divine works, the second
day their knowledge of the second work, and similarly with the rest.
Thus, then, each work is said to have been wrought in some one of
these days, inasmuch as God wrought nothing in the universe without
impressing the knowledge thereof on the angelic mind; which can know
many things at the same time, especially in the Word, in Whom all
angelic knowledge is perfected and terminated. So the distinction of
days denotes the natural order of the things known, and not a
succession in the knowledge acquired, or in the things produced.
Moreover, angelic knowledge is appropriately called "day," since
light, the cause of day, is to be found in spiritual things, as
Augustine observes (Gen. ad lit. iv, 28). In the opinion of the
others, however, the days signify a succession both in time, and in
the things produced.

If, however, these two explanations are looked at as referring to the
mode of production, they will be found not greatly to differ, if the
diversity of opinion existing on two points, as already shown (Q. 67,
A. 1; Q. 69, A. 1), between Augustine and other writers is taken into
account. First, because Augustine takes the earth and the water as
first created, to signify matter totally without form; but the making
of the firmament, the gathering of the waters, and the appearing of
dry land, to denote the impression of forms upon corporeal matter.
But other holy writers take the earth and the water, as first
created, to signify the elements of the universe themselves existing
under the proper forms, and the works that follow to mean some sort
of distinction in bodies previously existing, as also has been shown
(Q. 67, AA. 1, 4; Q. 69, A. 1). Secondly, some writers hold that
plants and animals were produced actually in the work of the six
days; Augustine, that they were produced potentially. Now the opinion
of Augustine, that the works of the six days were simultaneous, is
consistent with either view of the mode of production. For the other
writers agree with him that in the first production of things matter
existed under the substantial form of the elements, and agree with
him also that in the first instituting of the world animals and
plants did not exist actually. There remains, however, a difference
as to four points; since, according to the latter, there was a time,
after the production of creatures, in which light did not exist, the
firmament had not been form