Arcana Coelestia #19
19. 'The Spirit of God' is used to mean the Lord's mercy, which is said 'to hover', like a hen over eggs, over what the Lord stores away in man and which in the Word are frequently called 'remnants'. These remnants are cognitions of truth and good which never come to light or into daylight until external things have been laid waste. These cognitions are here called 'the face 1 of the waters'.
Footnotes:
1. literally, the faces
Luke 23:44-49
44
And it was about the sixth hour, and there was a darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour.
45
And the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was rent in the midst.
46
And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost.
47
Now when the centurion saw what was done, he glorified God, saying, Certainly this was a righteous man.
48
And all the people that came together to that sight, beholding the things which were done, smote their breasts, and returned.
49
And all his acquaintance, and the women that followed him from Galilee, stood afar off, beholding these things.
