So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.
Ver. 3. Into the wilderness] Whither the true Church fled, Re. xii., of which they must be (saith one) that can learn to know the Romish Church to be a whore, condemned of God.
I saw a woman] See Trapp on " Rev 17:1 "
Sit upon] Not going afoot, as Christ and the apostles did, but magnificently mounted, as the pope is ever, either upon a stately palfrey (emperors holding his stirrup) or upon men's shoulders. England was once called the pope's ass, for bearing his intolerable exactions. This ass he held by the ears instead of a bridle.
Upon a scarlet coloured beast] The proper colour of the court of Rome; and it well serves to set forth their pomp and their hypocrisy. Innocent IV gave a red hat to his cardinals, to show them (as he said) that they should be ready to shed their blood for the truth. But that painter was nearer the point, who being blamed by a cardinal for colouring the visages of Peter and Paul too red, tartly replied, that he painted them so as blushing at the stateliness and sinfulness of his successors.
Full of names of blasphemy] His head only before was busked with the blasphemy,Revelation 13:1, now his whole body. Thus evil men and seducers grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived,2 Timothy 3:13 .