Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa ("of a hundred paths") 7.2.3.7

7.2.3.7

yadvevainamabhijuhoti | etadvai devā abibhayurdīrghaṃ vā ida karma yadvai na imamiha rakṣāṃsi nāṣṭrā na hanyuriti ta etāmetasya karmaṇaḥ purastātsaṃsthāmapaśyaṃstamatraiva sarvaṃ samasthāpayannatrācinvaṃstathaivainamayametadatraiva sarvaṃ saṃsthāpayatyatra cinoti

And, again, why he offers thereon;--at that time the gods were afraid, thinking, 'Long indeed is this performance: we hope the Rakshas, the fiends, will not smite here this (Agni) of ours!' They saw this preliminary conclusion of this performance, and brought that whole (Agni) to completion even at that (point), and built him up then; and in like manner this (Sacrificer) brings that whole (Agni) to completion even at this (point), and builds him now.