And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads.
Ver. 3. Another wonder in heaven] That is, in the Church, which is called heaven; for, 1. Its original is from heaven, Joh 1:13
2. Its tendency to heaven, Hebrews 11:14; Hebrews 3:1,19. Its conversation in heaven, Philippians 3:20; Philippians 4:1,23. Its dependence upon heaven,James 1:17 .
A great red dragon] A dragon the devil is called for his sharp-sightedness (the dragon hath a very quick eye, and is said to sleep with open eyes, Mr Arrowsmith), as also for his mischievousness to mankind; and lastly for his serpentine subtilty, Genesis 3:1. a The comfort is, that as the devil is a lion, so is Christ; there is courage for courage. And as the devil is a serpent, so Christ compares himself to the brazen serpent; there is wisdom for wisdom. A great dragon the devil is, as being god of the world; and red all over with the blood of souls, which he hath swallowed down, as St Peter hath it, 1 Peter 5:8. It noteth him also to be a fiery dragon, fiery red, full of wrath and rancour.
Seven heads] To plot, and ten horns to push men into the pit of hell.
Seven crowns upon his head] Pretended authority for what he did against the Church. It passed in France in manner of a proverb, that the modern Council (of Trent) had more authority than that of the apostles, because their own pleasure was a sufficient ground for the decrees, without admitting the Holy Ghost. That Popish council was carried with such infinite guile and craft, that the Papists themselves will even smile in the triumphs of their own wits (when they hear it but mentioned) as at a master stratagem. By these seven crowns some understand the supremacy of the Roman empire, prevailing against the Church.
a δρακων παρα το δερκειν. παρα το δραυ αχος. Scalig.