679. 'He was to gather them for himself' means truths. This is clear from what has been stated above, for 'gathering' has reference to the things that are in a person's memory, where they have been gathered together. It embodies in addition the point that the former and the latter - goods and truths - need to be gathered together in man before regeneration takes place. Indeed unless goods and truths have been gathered together to serve as means through which the Lord may do His work, a person cannot possibly be regenerated, as has been stated. From this it follows then that 'it was to be food for him and them' means both goods and truths.

2490. With regard to the interior memory, it not only retains every single thing that a person has ever seen and heard since early childhood, and what he has thought, said, and done, but also the things he sees and hears in the next life, and those he thinks, says, and does. But this phenomenon varies. People who are governed by false persuasion and evil desire imbibe and retain all things that suit them, for these things enter into them like water into a sponge. All else flows in as well but is retained so superficially that they hardly know it as anything at all. But those who believe in truth and have an affection for good retain all things that are true and good and are consequently being perfected all the time. In this way people can and do receive instruction in the next life.