And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.
Ver. 1. And I stood] Where I might best see the beast that came out of the sea.
I saw a beast] The Church, flying into the wilderness from the dragon, falls upon this beast, which is nothing better than the dragon under a better shape. Sic aliud ex alio malum. This beast is that Antichrist of Rome.
Rise up] Not all at once, but by degrees.
Out of the sea] Out of the bottomless pit,Revelation 11:7; 2 Thessalonians 2:9 .
Having seven heads] To plot.
And ten horns] To push. Craft and cruelty go always together in the Church's enemies. The asp never wanders alone; and those birds of prey go not without their mates, Isaiah 34:16 .
And upon his horns] The kings that are the pope's vassals. See Revelation 17:11. These are the props of his power.
The name of blasphemy] This is his true name; his pretensed name is mystery.