The harmony of the divine attributes in the contrivance and accomplishment of man's redemption…

2. When the carnal Mind sees nothing within but what torments, and finds an intolerable pain in conversing with it self, it runs abroad, and uses all the arts of oblivion to lose the remembrance of its true state. As Cain, to drown the voice of Conscience, fell a building Cities; and Saul, to dispel his Melancholy, called for Music: The business and pleasures of this life are dangerous amusements ⟨p. 59⟩to divert the Soul, by the representation of what is profitable or pleasant, from considering the moral qualities of good and evil. Thus Conscience, like an intermitting Pulse, ceases for a while. Miserable consolation! which doth not remove, but conceal the evil till it be past remedy. But if Conscience, notwithstanding all these evasions, still pursues a Sinner, and at times something disturbs his reason, and his rest, yet he will not part with carnal Pleasures. For being only acquainted with those things that affect the Senses, & having no relish of that Happiness which is sublime and supernatural, if he parts with them he is deprived of all delight, which is to him a state more intolerable than that wherein there is a mixture of delight and torment. From hence it appears that the interposition of Conscience, though with a flaming sword between Man carnal, and his beloved objects, is not effectual to restrain him.

2. When the carnal Mind sees nothing within but what torments, and finds an intollerable pain in conversing with it self, it runs abroad, and uses all the arts of oblivion to lose the remembrance of its true state. As Cain, to drown the voice of Conscience, fell a building Cities; and Saul, to dispel his Melancholy, call'd for Musick: The business and pleasures of this life are dangerous amusements ⟨p. 59⟩to divert the Soul, by the representation of what is profitable or pleasant, from considering the moral qualities of good and evil. Thus Conscience, like an intermitting Pulse, ceases for a while. Miserable consolation! which doth not remove, but conceal the evil till it be past remedy. But if Conscience, notwithstanding all these evasions, still pursues a Sinner, and at times something disturbs his reason, and his rest, yet he will not part with carnal Pleasures. For being only acquainted with those things that affect the Senses, & having no relish of that Happiness which is sublime and supernatural, if he parts with them he is deprived of all delight, which is to him a state more intollerable than that wherein there is a mixture of delight and torment. From hence it appears that the interposition of Conscience, though with a flaming sword between Man carnal, and his beloved objects, is not effectual to restrain him.