I doubt if the Devil was ask'd the Question plainly, he would confess, that after he had conquer'd _Eve_ by his own wicked Contrivance, and then by her Assistance had brought _Adam_ too (like a Fool as he was) into the same Gulph of Misery, he thought he had done his Work, compassed the whole Race, that they were now his own, and that he had put an End to the grand Design of their Creation; namely, of Peopling Heaven with a new Angelic Race of Souls, who when glorify'd, should make up the Defection of the Host of Hell, that had been expung'd by their Crime; in a Word, that he had gotten a better Conquest than if he had destroy'd them all.
But in the midst of his Conquest, he found a Check put to the Advantages he expected to reap from his Victory, by the immediate Promise of Grace to a Part of the Posterity of _Adam_, who, notwithstanding the Fall, were to be purchased by the _Messiah_, and snatch'd out of his (_Satan_'s) Hands, and over whom he could make no final Conquest; so that his Power met with a new Limitation, and that such, as indeed fully disappointed him in the main thing he aim'd at, (_viz._) preventing the Beatitudes of Mankind, which were thus secur'd; (And what if the Numbers of Mankind were upon this account encreased in such a manner, that the selected Number should, by Length of Time, amount to just as many as the whole Race, had they not fallen, would have amounted to in all?) And thus, indeed, the World may be said to be upheld and continued for the Sake of those few, since till their Number can be compleated, the Creation cannot fall, any more than, that without them, or but for them it would not have stood.
But leaving this Speculation, and not having enquir'd of Satan what he has to say on that Subject, let us go back to the Antediluvian World: The _Devil_ to be sure, gain'd his Point upon _Eve_, and in her upon all her Race: He drew her into Sin; got her turn'd out of _Paradise_, and the Man with her: The next Thing was to go to work with her Posterity, and particularly with her two Sons _Cain_ and _Abel_.
_Adam_ having, notwithstanding his Fall, repented very sincerely of his Sin; receiv'd the Promise of Redemption and Pardon, with an humble but believing Heart; Charity bids us suppose that he led a very religious and sober Life ever after; and especially in the first Part of his Time, That he brought up his Children very soberly, and gave them all the necessary Advantages of a Religious Education, and a good Introduction into the World, that he was capable of; and that _Eve_ likewise assisted to both in her Place and Degree.