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:

6868. 'And that I should lead the children of Israel out' means and so deliver those who belonged to the spiritual Church. This is clear from the meaning of 'leading out' as delivering, as above in 6865; and from the representation of 'the children of Israel' as those belonging to the spiritual Church, dealt with in 6637, 6862, 6865.