0 ! The wonderful loue of God toward his Church is declared in this boke: forasmuche as the summe and effect of the whole Scriptures is here set forthe in these brief sentences, which partely conteine doctrine, and partely manners, and also exhortacions bothe. Whereof the nine first chapters are a a preface ful of graue sentences, and depe mysteries, to allure the heartes of men to be diligent reading of the parables that follow: which are left as a moste precous jewel to the Churche, of those thre thousand parables mencioned {I King. 4, 32} , and were gathered and commit to writing by Salomons seruants and indited by him. *This word Prouerbe, or Parable signifieth a grane & notable sentence, worthie to be kept in memorie: and is some time taken in the euil parte for a mocke, or scoffe.