ledge_; that he may be able to make stronger Conjectures and more
rational Conclusions from that he sees, I will not deny; and that which
he most outdoes us in is, that he sees more to conclude from than we
can, but I am satisfied he knows nothing of Futurity more than we can
see by Observation and Inference; nor, _for Example_, did he know
whether God would repeople the World any more or no.

I must therefore allow that he only waited to see what would be the
Event of this strange Eruption of Water, and what God propos'd to do
with the Ark, and all that was in it.

Some Philosophers tell us, besides what I hinted above, that the _Devil_
could have no Retreat in the Earth's Atmosphere, for that the Air being
wholly condens'd into Water, and having continually pour'd down its
Streams to deluge the Earth, that Body was become so small, and had
suffer'd such Convulsions, that there was but just enough Air left to
surround the Water, or as might serve by its Pressure to preserve the
natural Position of Things, and supply the Creatures in the Ark with a
Part to breath in.

The Atmosphere indeed might suffer some strange and unnatural Motions at
that Time, but not (I believe) to that Degree, however, I will not
affirm that there could be room in it, or is now for the Devil, much
less for all the numberless Legions of Satan's Host; but there was, and
now certainly is, sufficient Space to receive him, and a sufficient Body
of his Troops for the Business he had for them at that time, and that's
enough to the Purpose; or if the Earth's Atmosphere did suffer any
particular Convulsion on that Occasion, he might make his Retreat to
the Atmosphere of the Moon, or of _Mars_, or of _Venus_, or of any of
the other Planets; or to any other Place, for he that is Prince of the
Air could not want Retreats in such a Case, from whence he might watch
for the issue of Things; certainly he did not go far, because his
Business lay here, and he never goes out of his Way of doing Mischief.

In particular, his more than ordinary Concern was, to see what would
become of the Ark; he was wise enough doubtless to see, that GOD, who
had directed its making, nay even the very Structure of it, would
certainly take Care of it, preserve it upon the Water, and bring it to
some Place of Safety or other; tho' where it should be, the _Devil_ with
all his Cunning could not resolve, whether on the same Surface the
Waters drawing off, or in any other created or