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'.

Footnotes:

779. They went in to Noah into the ark' means that they were saved. This has been stated already. As for 'two and two' meaning pairs, and what they are, see the previous chapter at 6:19.