It must then be understood that the word age has various
meanings, for it denotes many things. The life of each man is
called an age. Again, a period of a thousand years is called an
age(3). Again, the whole course of the present life is called an
age: also the future life, the immortal life after the
resurrection(4), is spoken of as an age. Again, the word age is
used to denote, not time nor yet a part of time as measured by
the movement and course of the sun, that is to say, composed of
days and nights, but the sort of temporal motion and interval
that is co-extensive with eternity(5). For age is to things
eternal just what time is to things temporal. Seven ages(6) of
this world are spoken of, that is, from the creation of the
heaven and earth till the general consummation and resurrection
of men. For there is a partial consummation, viz., the death of
each man: but there is also a general and complete consummation,
when the general resurrection of men will come to pass. And the
eighth age is the age to com