Chapter IV.
On the origin and antiquity of fasting, from which the first use of the world began, from which the first law was established in paradise; which finally covers those whom gluttony has stripped naked.
Therefore, so that no one may think that earthly or new fasting is useless, the first use of the world began with fasting when the bright light shone (Gen. I, 3 et seq.). The second day was a day of fasting when the firmament was made. On the third day, the earth produced food, obedient to nature, yet still observing heavenly discipline. On the fourth day, the luminaries of the sun and moon were made, and fasting continued. On the fifth day, the waters brought forth living creatures, and the flying living creatures flew above the earth under the firmament of heaven. And God saw that they were good, and He blessed them, saying: Increase and multiply, and let the waters that are in the sea be filled, and let the flying creatures multiply above the earth (Ibid., 22). And still fasting. Finally, he blessed them, as it is written, and said: Increase, and did not say: Eat and consume. On the sixth day, the beasts were created (Dist. 35, c. On the sixth day), and with the beasts arose the power of eating, and the use of food. Where food began, there the end of the world was made. Where it began not to know its own growth, there divine works began to rest upon it. By this sign it was declared that the world would diminish through food, by which it ceased to grow. No one knew the crime, no one feared punishment, no one knew death.
7. The Lord planted a paradise for the enjoyment of the blessed, and placed man there to work and take care of it. And in order that we may know (Dist. et cap. iisdem, § Et ut sciamus) that fasting is not a recent observance, He established the first law concerning fasting there. For He knew that through food man would have the opportunity to fall into sin. The first punishment for transgressing the law of fasting came when God commanded: 'Of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat; for in the day that you eat of it, you shall surely die' (Gen. II, 17). However, until then (Dist. and cap. the same, § Until then), no one knew how to transgress, so that what was not yet arisen would be the first transgressed prohibition of abstinence. The law from the Lord God, transgression of the law from the devil: fault through food, hiding place after food. Knowledge of weakness in food, virtue of strength in fasting. In short, as long as they abstained from the forbidden things, they did not know that they were naked: after they ate from the forbidden tree, they realized that they were naked. Therefore, when the woman recognized the author of the fault, she was asked and she replied: The serpent persuaded me, and I ate (Gen. III, 13). The serpent advises the throat, the Lord decrees to fast (Dist. et cap. iisdem, § Serpens). Finally, he himself says: Fast and pray, lest you enter into temptation (Matth. XXVI, 41). Therefore, gluttony expelled the reigning one from paradise, and abstinence called back the one who was wandering to paradise.
8. And God said: Behold, Adam has become like one of us (Gen. III, 22). Surely God is mocking, not approving, and says this: You thought you would be like us: but because you wanted to be what you were not, you ceased to be what you were: you were within yourself, and while you strive to be above yourself, you began to be beneath yourself. Finally, He clothed him in a pelted tunic first, and thus He said: Behold, Adam, as if to say: Behold your garment, behold your worthy clothing, this clothing befits you. Those who seek the divine are considered worthy of such adornment. Behold where your fault has led you, behold now in this tunic of fur you have opened your eyes as one of us. Look around carefully, you see yourself naked, whom you thought was clothed.
9. Therefore, gluttony exposes the naked, while fasting even covers the desolate. Hence David says: I covered my soul in fasting (Ps. LXVIII,11). A good covering, that which covers the soul so that it may not be caught by the tempter, so that it may not be stripped by the tempter. A good veil that covers sin, it is covered by abstinence, it is covered by grace. Blessed are those to whom sins are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. It is covered by grace, while it forgives and abolishes all error; it is covered by abstinence, while it shadows vice and hides it with a sad disposition, and weakens it through repentance. Indeed, fasting and almsgiving free one from sin. Adam was covered with the garment of virtues before he transgressed, but like someone stripped of transgression, he saw himself as naked; for he had lost the garment he had. 'Then shall your light break forth as the morning,' he says, 'and your health will speedily spring forth, and your righteousness will go before you; and the glory of the Lord will surround you.' (Isaiah 58:8). Good clothing is light. It is written: 'He is clothed with light as with a garment' (Ps. 103:2). Good clothing; when the Lord surrounds and covers the fasting ones.