0 The wonderful loue of God towarde his Churche is liuely set forthe in this boke. For albeit through their ingratitude and sundry rebellions against God, for the space of fourty yeres {Deu. 9,7}, they had deserued to haue bene cut of from the nomber of his people, and for euer to haue bene depriued of the vse of his holie worde & sacraments: yet he did euer preserue his Church euen for his owne mercies sake, and wolde stil haue his Name called vpon among them. Wherefore he bringeth them into the land of Canaan, destroyeth their enemies, giueth them their countrey, townes and goodes, and exhorteth them by the example of their fathers (whose infidelitie, idolatrie, adulteries, murmurings, and rebellion he had moste sharpely punished) to feare and obey the Lord, to embrace and kepe his lawe without adding therunto or diminishing there from. For by his worde he wolde be knowen to be their God, and they his people: by his worde he wolde gouerne his Churche, and by the same they shulde learne to obey him: by his worde he wolde discerne the false Prophet from the true, light from darknes, error from knollage, and his owne people from all other nations and infideles: teaching them thereby to refuse and detest, destroy and abolish whatsoeuer is not agreable to his holy wil, seme it otherwise neuer so good or precious in the eyes of man. And for this cause God promised to raise vp Kings and gouvernours, for the setting forthe of this worde and preseruacion of his Churche: giuing vnto them an especial charge for the executing thereof: whome therefore he willeth to exercise themselues diligently in the continual studie and meditacion of the same: that they might learne to feare the Lord, loue their subjects, abhorre couetousnes and vice, and whatsoeuer offendeth the majestie of God. And as he had to fore instructed their fathers in all things apperteining, bothe to his spiritual seruice, and also for the maintenance of that societie which is betwene men, so he prescribeth here anewe, all suche lawes and ordinances, which ether concerne his Diuine seruice, or els, necessarie for a comon weale: appointing vnto euerie estate and degre their charge and duetie: as wel, as how to rule and liue in the feare of God, as to nourish friendship towarde their neighbours, and to preserue that ordre which God hathe established among men: threatening with all, moste horrible plagues to them that transgresse his commandements, and promising all blessings & felecitie to suche as obserue and obey them. (/) That is, a seconde lawe: so called, because the Lawe which God gaue in mount Sinai, is here repeated, as thogh it were a newe Law and this boke is a commentarie or exposition of the ten commandements.