6342. 'Reuben my firstborn' means faith which seemingly occupies the first place. This is clear from the representation of 'Reuben' as faith in the understanding, dealt with in 3861, 3866, and the Church's confession of faith in general, 4731, 4734, 4761; and from the meaning of 'firstborn' as occupying the first place, dealt with in 3325. But faith does no more than seem to occupy the first place, see 3539, 3548, 3556, 3563, 3570, 3576, 3603, 3701, 4915, 4926, 4928, 4930, 4977, 6256, 6269, 6272, 6273.