The wonderful loue of God toward his Churche is liuely ſet forthe in this boke. For albeit through their ingratitude and ſundry rebellions againſt God, for the ſpace of forty yeres, Deu. 9,7, they had deſerued to haue bene cut of from the nõber of his people, and for euer to haue bene depriued of the vſe of his holy 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 lawes without adding ther vnto or diminiſhing there from. For by his worde he wolde be knowẽ 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 therby 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 gouernours for the ſetting forthe of this worde and preſeruation of his Churche: giuing vnto them an eſpecial charge for the executing thereof: whome therefore he willeth to exerciſe them ſelues diligently in the continual ſtudie and meditatiõ of the ſame: that they might learne to feare the Lord, loue their ſubiects, abhorre couetouſnes and vice, and whatſoeuer offendeth the maieſtie 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 are neceſſarie for a comon weale: appointing vnto euerie eſtate and degree their charge and dueties: aſwel, how to rule and liue in the feare of God, as to nouriſh friendeſhip towarde their neighbours, and to preſerue that ordre which God hathe eſtabliſhed among men: threatning with all, moſte horrible plagues to them that tranſgreſſe his commandements, and promiſing all bleſſings & felicitie to ſuche as obſerue and obey them.