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The Testament of Reuben Concerning Thoughts

Unknown

Section 2

About this work

Author: Unknown

2. And now hear me, my children, what

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things

I

saw

in

my

repentance

concerning

the

seven

spirits

of

error

.

Seven

spirits

are

given

against

man

from

Beliar

,

and

they

are

chief

of

the

works

of

youth

;

and

seven

spirits

are

given

to

him

at

his

creation

,

that

in

them

should

be

done

every

work

of

man

.

The

first

(

1

)

spirit

is

of

life

,

with

which

man’s

whole

being

is

created

.

The

second

(

2

)

spirit

is

of

sight

,

with

which

ariseth

desire

.

The

third

(

3

)

spirit

is

of

hearing

,

with

which

cometh

teaching

.

The

fourth

(

4

)

spirit

is

of

smelling

,

with

which

taste

is

given

to

draw

air

and

breath

.

The

fifth

(

5

)

spirit

is

of

speech

,

with

which

cometh

knowledge

.

The

sixth

(

6

)

spirit

is

of

taste

,

with

which

cometh

the

eating

of

meats

and

drinks

;

and

by

them

strength

is

produced

,

for

in

food

is

the

foundation

of

strength

.

The

seventh

(

7

)

spirit

is

of

begetting

and

sexual

intercourse

,

with

which

through

love

of

pleasure

sin

also

entereth

in

:

wherefore

it

is

the

last

in

order

of

creation

,

and

the

first

of

youth

,

because

it

is

filled

with

ignorance

,

which

leadeth

the

young

as

a

blind

man

to

a

pit

,

and

as

cattle

to

a

precipice

.

Notes

2
For this use of πνεύματα as applied to the senses, we may cite Plutarch (De placitis philosophorum, iv. 21), who, speaking with reference to the Stoic philosophy, says, ἡ μὲν ὅρασις ἐστὶ πνεῦμα διατεινον ἀπὸ τοῦ ἡγεμονικοῦ μέχρις ὀφθαλμῶν.