NICOLAITES, or Nicolaitans. Besides what we have already said concerning this Sect and its Author, we may add here, that the Nicolaites were frequent in Asia from the End of the first Age of the Church; since Jesus Christ expressly condemns them himself, in the Revelations. St. Irenæus says1, that Adulteries, and the Use of Meats offer’d to Idols, were held as indifferent Things among them. Victorinus Petaviensis says, that they eat these Meats after having exorcised them, and forgave Fornicators eight Days after their Offence. Theodoret says, that the two distinguishing Characters of this Heresy were Libertinism and Folly. St. Epiphanius2 gives a long Account, both of their infamous Actions, and their extravagant Opinions concerning God and the Creation. St. Austin says3, that they have their Women in common, and make no Scruple to conform to all the Pagan Superstitions. They tell a Number of Fables about the Creation and Disposition of the World, intermingling many barbarous Names of Angels and Princes, to amaze their Auditors; tho’ to People of Understanding they are rather Subjects of Mirth than Terror. Through all their Disguises it is easy to perceive, that they hold, the World was not created by God, but was the Work of certain Powers whom they feign with an insupportable Temerity, or whom they take for granted from the Credit of others, with a Credulity not less to be blamed.
St. Irenæus4 calls them a Branch of the Gnosticks, and says, it was against them that St. John wrote his Gospel. Clemens Alexandrinus5 says, they had a certain Book on the Authority of which they rely’d,and by which they imputed to God himself the infamous Actions they committed. They continued but a very little Time, according to Eusebius6; at least the Name of Nicoalites did not continue long: But their Errors were adopted by other Sects, and Tertullian says7, that the Cainites espoused them. The Nicolaites were revived again under the Reign of Lewis the Debonaire, about the Year 852, as Sigebert of Gemblours says in his Chronicon; and again in the eleventh Age, under Pope Urban II. The Nicolaites were certain Priests, Deacons, and Subdeacons, who maintained that Marriage was allow’d them. They were condemned by the Council of Placentia in the Year 1095. Hæresis Nicolaitarum, id est, incontinentium Subdiaconorum, Diaconorum & præcipue Sacerdotum, irretractabiliter damnata est, &c.8
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