De Sacrificiis Abelis Et Caini

Reason which fled to God and became his suppliant, is what is here called the Levite; God having taken this from the most central and dominant part of the soul, that is to say, having taken it to himself and appropriated it as his own share, thought it worthy of the honour due to the first-born. So that from these it is plain that Reuben is the first-born of Jacob, but [*](Leviticus iii. 12. )

Levi the first born of Israel, the one having the honours of seniority according to time, but the other according to dignity and power.