This famous bishop of Lyon, St. Eucherius, sought to counter some of the extremity of his own time, both in terms of the lawlessness which was becoming rampant in southern Gaul, as well as the punitive self-denial pushed by some monastic groups. This work, originally titled in Latin formularum spiritalis intelligentiae, intends to offer some directive for initiates into the Christian life. In this way he is a forerunner to St. Ignatius and his own work the Spiritual Exercises. St. Eucherius also uses this work to emphasis the allegorical value of the Greek and Hebrew scriptures, and expands them for potential mystical interpretation.