115. [verse 15] 'So thou hast, even thou, those holding the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate' signifies that among them there are also those who do works for the sake of recompense. That the works 'of the Nicolaitans' are works for the sake of recompense may be seen above (n. 86). In the case of those who place everything of the Church and of salvation in good works and not anything in the truths of doctrine, who are those who are understood by 'the Church in Pergamum', there are some who do hypocritical works, also works for the sake of recompense, but yet not all. It is therefore said that 'thou hast there those holding the doctrine [of] Balaam', also 'thou hast, even thou, those holding the doctrine of the Nicolaitans'; and all works of worship are either good, or for the sake of recompense, or hypocritical; therefore [something] is said here concerning the latter two and, after those, concerning good works in the things following.