A Compendium of the Chief Doctrines of the True Christian Religion/Chapter 2
II. God himself the primary Substance and Form.
THIS one God is the real and primary substance and form, from whom and by whom all created substances and forms were produced; it being impossible that any substance whatever could have risen up out of nothing. All things that exist must, therefore, have been produced by a divine power from an original substance, that is, from God himself, yet in a way, and according to an order, that preserves the most perfect and complete distinction between the Creator and the creature. And as we see, that all created substances and forms have, either directly or indirectly, some respect to the human form; and it being certain, that this respect must ultimately lead and point to him, from whom they proceeded; it necessarily follows, that God is in such original and primary substance and form a Divine Man, in whom nevertheless all things are infinite and eternal, without any relation either to space, or time, or matter, being prior to and far above them.
