Chapter III: Traditionary and Poetical Ages of the World

1. Tradition concerning the Seventh Age—Prophecy of the
Universal Saviour—Traditions of the Jews—Opinion of Irenæus
and the Christian Church in his time—Dr. Russell’s opinion
confuted—Testimony of the Heathen to the Tradition of the
_Seven Ages_—Digression on the Corruptions of the Septuagint
and the Hebrew text—Arguments against the numerical accuracy
of the latter—Remarkable prophecy contained in the names of
the _Antediluvian_ Patriarchs—Opinions of Augustine and
Abulfarajius—Notion of Dr. Isaac Barrow—Important admission
of Eusebius—Opinion of Ephrem Syrus 168

2. Description of the Ages of the World from Hesiod—Error of
Newton—The Golden Age corresponds to the Antediluvian—The
Silver to the Postdiluvian—The Brazen, Heroic and Iron ages,
to the Patriarchal, Critarchal and Monarchal—These ages
relate chiefly to Greece—References to Scripture history in
all—The Sixth or Cumæan age corresponds to the
Hierarchal—Wisdom of the Heathens—Their expectation of a
Divine Instructor—Socrates, Plato, Eupolis, Virgil, and
others, anticipate his glorious Advent—The close of the
_Sixth age_ indicates the arrival of the _Seventh_, or the
return of the _Golden age_ 193