A Biographical Dictionary of the Celebrated Women of Every Age and Country/Mary (the Virgin)
MARY (THE VIRGIN).
At the time of declaring the punishment of Adam and Eve, for the transgression which occasioned their fall from innocence and happiness, it was promised, that, as woman had first broken the compact of obedience to her Maker, and been the most severely punished for it, her seed should redeem the lost privileges of mankind, and open again the gates of heaven to those who had made themselves unworthy of it. A continuation of predictions, for 4000 years, at different periods, enlarged and particularized this prophecy, till, in the year, as it is supposed, of the world 4004, an angel appeared unto Mary, the contracted wife of Joseph her cousin, of the tribe of Judah and house of David, to proclaim to her that she was destined to be the mother of this universal deliverer. Joseph, who was minded to put her away privily, was likewise visited by the same holy messenger, who said, "Fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife; for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost." On visiting her cousin Elizabeth, then pregnant of John the Baptist, she by inspiration hailed the mother of our Lord, and Mary pronounced that beautiful hymn, which will ever be a monument of her humility and gratitude. The same year she went to Bethlehem, in obedience to the edict of Augustus, who, wishing to know with certainty the population of his empire, commanded all the people to repair to stated cities, and have their names inrolled. She was there, in consequence of the great concourse of people, delivered of the Son of God in a manger. She saw his wisdom, his miracles, and finally his crucifixion, when he consigned her to the care of his beloved apostle St. John, to whose house she accordingly went, and spent with him the remainder of her days.
A Persian MS. says that the Virgin Mary was sixteen when she became pregnant, and one hundred and two when she died living sixty-six years after our Saviour's ascension. This would not agree with our method of counting, the Mahometans reckoning by lunar years; so that what with us is but one, is with them a year and a month. It goes on, saying that some authors make Mary live only six years after the ascension of our Saviour; and that at the time of her death she was fifty-two.