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:

1006. 'At the hand of every wild animal' means from everything violent residing with a person. This is clear from the meaning of 'a wild animal'. In the Word 'wild animal' means that which is living, as shown in 908. But in the contrary sense 'wild animal' means that which is like a wild animal, and so whatever is savage in man. This too has been shown already. Consequently 'wild animal' means someone whose life is such, that is to say, a violent person or one who does violence to charity; for he is indeed like a wild animal. Love and charity make a person human, while hatred, revenge, and cruelty make a wild animal of him.