Numbers 18:12

Let us return, then, to the account of the firstfruits, which we said are offered through the angels, which are gathered from the fields of this world. But the fields of the angels are our hearts. Each of them, therefore, from the field which he cultivates, offers firstfruits to God. And if I were worthy today to bring forth some great sense, worthy of the high priest, so that from all these things which we speak and teach there should be something excellent which ought to please the high priest, it might perhaps come to pass that the angel who presides over the church would choose something from all our words and, in place of firstfruits, would offer it to the Lord from the little field of my heart. But I know that I am not worthy, nor am I conscious to myself that any such sense is found in me which the angel who cultivates us would judge worthy to offer for firstfruits or for firstborn to the Lord. And would that what we speak and teach be such that we should not deserve to be condemned for our words; this grace would suffice for us. The angels, therefore, offer firstfruits from us, and each cultivates those whom by his zeal and diligence he has converted from the errors of the nations to God; and each is in the portion or care of this or that angel. And just as from the beginning of this age, when God scattered the sons of Adam, "he set the bounds of the nations according to the number of the angels of God," and each nation was made under this or that angel, but one nation, Israel, was chosen, which was "the portion of the Lord" and "the cord of his inheritance," so I believe that also at the end of this world and the beginning of another age it will come to pass that the Most High will again divide the sons of Adam; and those who could not be so clean of heart as to see God himself and be "the portion of the Lord," may see at least the holy angels and be "according to the number of the angels of God." But blessed is he who shall be worthy in that life to be "the portion of the Lord" and "his people Jacob and the cord of his inheritance, Israel." It is therefore to be desired, as we have said, that each one so advance that he may deserve to be chosen among the firstfruits or firstborn and to be offered to God and to be a part of the Lord. But if less than this, at least that he may deserve to be a part of the holy angels — only that he be not found…

But now let us see how it also receives an allegorical, that is, a spiritual understanding. Let us inquire, therefore, whether anywhere in the Scriptures, besides these things of which we have spoken above, we find firstfruits named; for here he said: "all the firstfruits of oil and wine and grain, the firstfruits of all these which have been offered to God, I have given them to you." I inquire therefore now, where besides these firstfruits may be named. For if all firstfruits pertain to the high priest, then of necessity a high priest also must be sought by us, to whom ought to pertain also those firstfruits which we find set forth in other passages of Scripture. And first of all, indeed, we read it written of the Lord Christ himself that he is "the firstfruits of the dead"; he too, therefore, is in some part firstfruits. And again we find it said by the Apostle of certain persons that they are "the firstfruits of Asia," and others "the firstfruits of Achaia." Whence it follows that throughout the several churches some of the believers — those, however, whom the apostolic spirit has approved — are named firstfruits. Among whom I think is also that Cornelius, who, together with those with whom he merited to receive the Holy Spirit, is deservedly called the firstfruits of the church of Caesarea. And not only of this church, but perhaps Cornelius is to be called the firstfruits of all the nations; for he first believed from among the nations, and was first filled with the Holy Spirit, and therefore he will rightly be called the firstfruits of the nations. But you may perhaps ask who offers these firstfruits to God, or who is the high priest to whose account these fall. I think that, according to the Lord's word, "the field" is here called "this world"; but by "field" is understood not only the earth, but the hearts of men, which field the angels of God have undertaken to cultivate. The fruits of their cultivation they indeed possess and have — namely those who live under stewards and overseers and have not yet come to the height of perfection. But whose hearts have been diligently cultivated and brought to perfection, these, as chosen and outstanding beyond the rest, they offer as firstfruits to the great high priest. Finally, we find that Cornelius himself, before he received from Peter the teaching of the word of God or the grace of baptism, heard from an…