7. The first state is the state which precedes, both the state existing from earliest childhood onwards and that existing immediately before regeneration; and it is called a void, emptiness, and thick darkness. And the first movement, which is the Lord's mercy, is 'the Spirit of God hovering over the face ¹ of the waters'.

각주:

9036. 'He shall certainly be avenged' means the punishment of death. This is clear from the meaning of 'being avenged' or 'taking vengeance' as the punishment of death, in this instance spiritual death, which is damnation, since truth as stated in the literal sense of the Word is wiped out, and belief in the Word along with it. For the implications of this, see above in 9033, and also below in 9039.