Cyprian of Carthage, Epistle 63.1 (Cup of the Lord)
Cyprian sends greetings to his brother Epictetus and to the congregation at Assuras. I am deeply shaken and grieved, dearest brothers, to learn that Fortunatianus, who once served as your bishop, now acts as though his grave apostasy never happened and has begun to reclaim the bishopric for himself. This distresses me first on his account: wretched man that he is, he has either been utterly blinded by the devil's darkness or led astray by the sacrilegious counsel of certain people. When he ought to be making amends and devoting himself day and night to tearful prayer and supplication before the Lord, he instead dares to lay claim to the priesthood he betrayed, as if one could approach God's altar after serving at the devil's altars without provoking the Lord's greater wrath and indignation on the day of judgment. Having failed to stand as a leader of faith and courage for the brothers, he now presumes to teach perfidy, audacity, and rashness; having failed to teach them to stand firm in battle, he now teaches the conquered and prostrate not even to pray.
Yet the Lord declares: "You poured out libations to them and offered sacrifices to them; therefore, shall I not be indignant over all these things?" (Deuteronomy 32:37-38). And again: "Anyone who sacrifices to idols shall be eradicated, unless it is to the Lord alone" (Deuteronomy 32:38-39). The Lord speaks once more: "They worshiped the work of their own fingers; humanity was bowed down and humbled, and I will not forgive them" (Psalms 115:4-8). We also read in the Apocalypse the Lord's threatening warning: "If anyone worships the beast and its image and receives a mark on forehead or hand, that one will also drink the wine of God's wrath, poured undiluted into the cup of his anger, and will be tormented with fire and sulfur before the holy angels and before the Lamb. The smoke of their torment rises forever and ever, and they have no rest day or night, those who worship the beast and its image" (Revelation 14:9-11).
Latin
Cyprianus Epicteto fratri et plebi Assuras consistenti salutem. Graviter et dolenter motus sum, fratres charissimi, quod cognoverim Fortunatianum quondam apud vos episcopum post gravem lapsum ruinae suae pro integro nunc agere velle et episcopatum sibi vindicare coepisse. Quae res contristavit me, primo propter ipsum, qui miser, vel diaboli tenebris in totum excoecatus, vel quorumdam sacrilega persuasione deceptus, cum debeat satisfacere et ad Dominum exorandum diebus ac noctibus lacrymis et orationibus et precibus incumbere, audet sibi adhuc sacerdotium quod prodidit vindicare, quasi post aras diaboli accedere ad altare Dei fas sit, aut non majorem in se iram et indignationem Domini in die judicii provocet, qui, cum fidei et virtutis dux fratribus esse non potuerit, perfidiae et audaciae et temeritatis magister existat, et qui non docuit fratres in praelio fortiter stare, doceat eos qui victi et prostrati sunt nec rogare, cum Dominus dicat: Illis fudistis libamina, et illis imposuistis sacrificia; super haec omnia ergo non indignabor? dicit Dominus. Et alio loco: Sacrificans diis eradicabitur, nisi Domino soli. Item Dominus denuo loquitur et dicit: Adoraverunt eos quos fecerunt digiti eorum, et curvatus est homo et humiliatus est vir, et non laxabo illis. In Apocalypsi quoque legimus iram Domini comminantis et dicentis: Si quis adorat bestiam et imaginem ejus, et accipit notam in fronte sua et in manu, bibet et ipse de vino irae Dei mixto in poculo irae ejus, et punietur igne et sulphure sub oculis sanctorum Angelorum et sub oculis Agni, et fumus de tormentis eorum in saecula saeculorum ascendet, nec habebunt requiem die ac nocte qui adorant bestiam et imaginem ejus.