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.

184. Who is regenerated.

Man cannot be regenerated unless he is instructed in the truths of faith and the goods of charity (n. 677, 679, 711, 8635, 8638-8640, 10729). They who are only in truths and not in good, cannot be regenerated (n. 6567, 8725). No one is regenerated unless he is in charity (n. 989). None can be regenerated but such as have conscience (n. 2689, 5470). Everyone is regenerated according to his faculty of receiving the good of love to the Lord, and of charity towards the neighbor, by the truths of faith from the doctrine of the church, which is from the Word (n. 2967, 2975). Who can be regenerated, and who cannot (n. 2689). They who live the life of faith and charity, and who are not regenerated in the world, are regenerated in the other life (n. 989, 2490).