I do not affirm that this was the Case at first, because being not present in that black _Divan_, at least not that I know of, _for who knows where he was or was not in his pre-existent State?_ I cannot be positive in the Resolve that past there; but except for some very little Contradiction, which we find in the sacred Writings, I should, I confess, incline to believe it Historically; and I shall speak of those things which I call Contradictions to it more largely hereafter. In the mean time, be it one way or other, _that is to say_, either that Satan had no Power to have proceeded with Man by Violence, and to have destroy'd him as soon as he was made; or that he had the Power, but chose rather to proceed by other Methods to deceive and debauch him; _I say_, be it which you please, I am still of the Opinion that it really was not the _Devil_'s Business to destroy the Species; that it would have been nothing to the purpose, and no Advantage at all to him, if he had done it; for that, as above, God could immediately have created another Species to the same end, whom he either could have made invulnerable, and not subject to the Devil's Power, or remov'd him out of _Satan_'s Reach, plac'd him out of the _Devil_'s Ken, in Heaven or some other Place, where the Devil could not come to hurt him; and that therefore it is infinitely more his Advantage, and more suited to his real Design of defeating the End of Man's Creation, to debauch him and make a _Devil_ of him, that he may be rejected like himself, and increase the infernal Kingdom and Company in the Lake of Misery _in aeternum_. It may be true, for ought I know, that Satan has not the Power of Destruction put into his Hand, and that he cannot take away the Life of a Man: and it seems probable to be so, from the Story of _Satan_ and _Job_, when _Satan_ appear'd among the Sons of GOD, as the Text says, _Job_ i. 6. Now when God gave such a Character of _Job_ to him, and ask'd him _if he had consider'd his Servant Job_, ver. 8. why did not the Devil go immediately and exert his Malice against the good Man at once, to let his Maker see what would become of his Servant _Job_ in his Distress? On the contrary, we see he only answers by shewing the Reason of _Job_'s good Behaviour; that it was but common Gratitude for the Blessing and Protection he enjoy'd, ver. 10. and pleading that if his Estate was taken away, and he was expos'd as he (Satan) was, to be a beggar and a Vagabond, going _to and fro in the Earth, and walking up and down therein_, he should be a very Devil too, like himself, and curse God to his Face.