Language, and Religion, out of their Country. _SECT. 39._ _Montezinus_ then speaks most likely; that as other people forced the _Israelites_ to betake them to the mountains: so _America_ being first of all inhabited by the persecuting _Tartars_, they were driven to the mountains of _Cordillere_, where at last they were hid, as God would have it. Truly, comparing the _Israelites_ themselves, or their Laws, with other people, I see not anything that comes nearer truth. Perhaps also _America_ was not of old contiguous to _Asia_ on the North side. It doth not seeme to me such an absurdity, to say, that the Israelites went out of _Tartary_ into _America_ by land; and afterward, that God, to preserve his, among other miracles, also wrought this, to make that a Sea, where now is the streight of _Anian_. Yea that might be don without a miracle, by accident, as we know that more than once, the Sea by a violent storm hath carryed away the Land, and made Islands. _Xenophon in suis æquivoc._ mentions the inundations of _Ægypt_, which happened in the days of _Prometheus_, and _Hercules_. Also _Berosus in lib._ 5. and _Diodorus li._ 6. mentions the inundation of _Attica_, in which _Athens_ stands. _Pliny in lib._ 2. _c._ 85. & _lib._ 13. _c._ 11. _Strabo in l._ 1. & _l._ 12. and _Plutarch in Alexandr._ relate the drowning of the Isle _Pharaonica_; of which _Luther_ speaks so elegantly in _lib. ultimo._ Besides, who knows not how many, and how great Cities have at divers times been almost wholly ruined by several earthquakes? _Sueton, in Tiberio, c._ 48. writes, that under _Tiberius_, twelve Cities in _Asia_ have been by this means ruined. _Orosius lib._ 7. _c._ 4. and _Dion Cassius lib._ 57. do affirm the same, though they differ about the time. _Tacitus in lib._ 14, and _Eusebius in Chron._ relate the destruction of that famous and rich City of _Laodicea. Origen tom._ 28. _in Joan_ and _Baronius tom._ 2. _Annal. Ecclesiast, Ann._ 340: do speak of other earthquakes, which have destroyed divers, and very many men, and Cities. And _P. Alonsus in suo manual. tempor._ relates, that the same hath happened in our dayes; saith he, In the year 1638. _A great Earthquake happened in the Islands of the Terceræ, but especially in St. Michael, where the Governour dwells; for that unheard of shaking of the earth, and houses, struck so great terror into the Inhabitants, that al fled out of their houses & lived in the fields, a little after, two miles from thence, they saw the Sea vomit up abundance of fiery matter, which made a very thicke smoake, which covered the very clouds; and it cast up many great stones which seemed like rocks; part whereof falling downe againe, made an Island in the Sea which was halfe a mile over, and sixty fathom high, & an hundred & fifty fathom deep. That hot exhalation which that fiery mountain sent forth, pierced the very waters, and stifled so many fishes, that two Indian ships could not carry them._ The