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:

7198. 'And also I have heard the groaning of the children of Israel' means their distress arising from conflict. This is clear from the meaning of 'the groaning' as distress arising from conflict; and from the representation of 'the children of Israel' as those belonging to the spiritual Church, who are molested by falsities and therefore involved in conflict.