I think
Legate answered it all.
But possibly they also knew that Eru doesn't interfere with Ea on a regular basis. Although everything that happens ultimately boils down to him, he himself was very sparing in direct contact with Arda. The only two cases after the creation that I can think of are giving the Dwarves life and the incident with Pharazon and making the world round. The rest was the Valar's doing.