Tertullian — On Fasting 10

In like manner they censure on the count of novelty our Stations as being enjoined ; some, moreover, (censure them) too as being prolonged habitually too late, saying that this duty also ought to be observed of free choice, and not continued beyond the ninth hour —(deriving their rule), of course, from their own practice. Well: as to that which pertains to the question of injunction , I will once for all give a reply to suit all causes. Now, (turning) to the point which is proper to this particular cause — concerning the limit of time, I mean — I must first demand from themselves whence they derive this prescriptive law for concluding Stations at the ninth hour. If it is from the fact that we read that Peter and he who was with him entered the temple at the ninth (hour), the hour of prayer , who will prove to me that they had that day been performing a Station, so as to interpret the ninth hour as the hour for the conclusion and discharge of the Station? Nay, but you would more easily find that Peter at the sixth hour had, for the sake of taking food, gone up first on the roof to pray ; so that the sixth hour of the day may the rather be made the limit to this duty, which (in Peter's case) was apparently to finish that duty, after prayer . Further: since in the self-same commentary of Luke the third hour is demonstrated as an hour of prayer , about which hour it was that they who had received the initiatory gift of the Holy Spirit were held for drunkards; and the sixth , at…

11. Of the Respect Due to Human Authority; And of the Charges of Heresy And Pseudo-Prophecy. But all these (instances) I believe to be unknown to those who are in a state of agitation at our proceedings; or else known by the reading alone, not by careful study as well; in accordance with the greater bulk of the unskilled among the overboastful multitude, to wit, of the Psychics. This is why we have steered our course straight through the different individual species of fastings , of xerophagies, of stations: in order that, while we recount, according to the materials which we find in either Testament, the advantages which the dutiful observances of abstinence from, or curtailment or deferment of, food confer, we may refute those who invalidate these things as empty observances; and again, while we similarly point out in what rank of religious duty they have always had place, may confute those who accuse them as novelties: for neither is that novel which has always been, nor that empty which is useful. The question, however, still lies before us, that some of these observances, having been commanded by God to man , have constituted this practice legally binding; some, offered by man to God , have discharged some votive obligation. Still, even a vow, when it has been accepted by God , constitutes a law for the time to come, owing to the authority of the Acceptor; for he who has given his approbation to a deed, when done, has given a mandate for its doing thenceforward. And so…