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On Prayer

Tertullian

Chapter 15

About this work

Author: Tertullian

Chapter XV.—Of Putting Off Cloaks.

But since we have touched on one special point of empty observance,

‹ Chapter 14 Chapter 16 ›

it

will

not

be

irksome

to

set

our

brand

likewise

on

the

other

points

against

which

the

reproach

of

vanity

may

deservedly

be

laid

;

if

,

that

is

,

they

are

observed

without

the

authority

of

any

precept

either

of

the

Lord

,

or

else

of

the

apostles

.

For

matters

of

this

kind

belong

not

to

religion

,

but

to

superstition

,

being

studied

,

and

forced

,

and

of

curious

rather

than

rational

ceremony

;

deserving

of

restraint

,

at

all

events

,

even

on

this

ground

,

that

they

put

us

on

a

level

with

Gentiles

.

As

,

e

.

g

.

,

it

is

the

custom

of

some

to

make

prayer

with

cloaks

doffed

,

for

so

do

the

nations

approach

their

idols

;

which

practice

,

of

course

,

were

its

observance

becoming

,

the

apostles

,

who

teach

concerning

the

garb

of

prayer

,

would

have

comprehended

in

their

instructions

,

unless

any

think

that

is

was

in

prayer

that

Paul

had

left

his

cloak

with

Carpus

!

God

,

forsooth

,

would

not

hear

cloaked

suppliants

,

who

plainly

heard

the

three

saints

in

the

Babylonian

king’s

furnace

praying

in

their

trousers

and

turbans

.

Notes

1
i.e. the hand-washing.
2
Or, “reasonable service.” See Rom. xii. 1.
3
Or, “Gentile practices.”
4
See 1 Cor. xi. 3–16.
5
2 Tim. iv. 13.
6
Dan. iii. 21, etc.