The wonderful love of God toward his Church is declared in this book: forasmuch as the sum and effect of the whole Scriptures is here set forth in these brief sentences, which partly contain doctrine, and partly manners, and also exhortations to both. Wherefore the nine first chapters are as a preface full of grave sentences, and deep mysteries, to allure the hearts of men to the diligent reading of the parables that follow: which are left as a most precious jewel to the Church, of those three thousand parables mentioned 1 Kings 4.32, and were gathered and commit to writing by Salomon’s servants and indited by him.