4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.



Ver. 4. And God shall wipe away] As mothers do their children’s tears. "Sorrow and sighing shall flee away." Baca shall be turned into Berachah, sighing into singing, misery into majesty; as Queen Elizabeth was exalted from a prisoner to a princess; and as our Henry IV was crowned the very same day that, the year before, he had been banished the realm. (Daniel.)



No more death] For mortality shall be swallowed up of life.



Neither sorrow] ðåíèïò . Properly for loss of friends; for we shall inseparably and everlastingly enjoy them. We shall sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, have communion with them; not only as godly men, but as such and such godly men. And if with them, why not with others whom we have known and loved in the body?



Nor crying] êñáõãç . Qualis est in tragoediis, saith Aretius.



Nor any more pain] ðïíïò . Or, hard labour for a livelihood, to be gotten with the sweat either of brow or brain.



For the former things, &c.] The Latins call prosperous things Res secundas, because they are to be had hereafter; they are not the first things.