a scandal and an outrage on the purity of the Christian assemblies with which they still associated. In all those passages where these vices are referred to, it will be observed that both immoralities and doctrinal errors are included in one common condemnation, which shows that both were inseparably connected in the conduct of those heretics whom the writer condemns. This circumstance also does much to identify them with some of the Gnostical sects before alluded to,—more especially with the Nicolaitans, as they are called by John in the beginning of the Apocalypse, where he is addressing the church of Pergamos. In respect to this very remarkable peculiarity of a vicious and abominable life, combined with speculative errors, the ancient Christian writers very fully describe the Nicolaitans; and their accounts are so unanimous, and their accusations so definite, that it is just and reasonable to consider this epistle as directed particularly against them.
Nicolaitans.—An allusion has already been made to this sect in the life of John,
but they deserve a distinct reference here also, as they are so distinctly mentioned in
Jude's epistle. The explanation of the name which in the former passage (page 343,)
was crowded out by other matters prolonging that part of the work beyond its due
limits, may here be given most satisfactorily, in the words of the learned Dr. Hug.
(Introd. Vol. II. note, § 182, original, § 174, translation.)
"The arguments of those who decide them to have been the Nicolaitans, according
to my opinion, are at present the following:—John in the Apocalypse describes the
Nicolaitans nearly as the heretics are here represented to us, with the same comparison,
and with the same vices; persons who exercise the arts of Balaam, who taught
Balak to ensnare the children of Israel, and to induce them to partake of idolatrous
sacrifices, and to fornicate, (Acts ii. 14: Jude 2: 2 Peter ii. 15.) Even (
Hebrew characters) according
to its derivation, is equivalent to [Greek: Nikolaos]. They also certainly denied the
Lord's creation and government of the world. Alterum quidem fabricatorem, alium
autem Patrem Domini . . . et eam conditionem, quae est secundum nos non a primo
Deo factam, sed a Virtute aliqua valde deorsum subjecta. (Iren. L. iii. c. 11.) If now
all corporeal and material existence has its origin from the Creator of the world,
who is a very imperfect and gross spirit, it flows naturally from this notion, that they
could not admit a corporeal resuscitation by the agency of the Supreme Being, or by
the agency of Jesus, in a universal day of judgment. With respect to the spiritual
world, they also actually taught such absurdities, that it must be said of them [Greek: doxas
blasphêmousi]; for they supposed, Aeones quosdam turpitudinis natos; et complexus, et
permixtiones execrabiles, et obscaenas. (Tertullianus in append. ad Lib. de praescript.
c. 46.) But, as to their excesses and abominable mode of life, the accounts of
the ancients are so unanimous, and the accusations are so constituted, that the two
apostolic epistles may have most pertinently referred to them."
The passage from Irenaeus relating to this sect, (quoted on page 343,) contains a remarkable Latin word, "vulsio," not found in any other author, and not explained at all, in the common dictionaries. That miserable, unsatisfactory mass of words, Ainsworth's Thesaurus, does not contain it, and I was left to infer the meaning from the theme, vello, and it was therefore translated "fragment,"—a meaning not inconsistent with its true sense. Since that was printed, a learned friend, to whom the difficulty was mentioned, on searching for the word in better dictionaries, found it in Gesner's Thesaurus, distinctly quoted from the very passage, with a very satisfactory explanation of its exact meaning. Gesner's account of it is as follows: "Vulsio, Irenaeus, iii. 11. Nicolaitae sunt vulsio ejus. i.e. surculus inde enatus, et revulsus, stolo, [Greek: aporrôx]. Secta una ex altera velut pullulavit." "The meaning therefore is a "sucker,"
