in divinity and philosophy, the firm belief of certain truths upon the testimony of the person who reveals them. See Metaphysics, p. 265.

The grounds of a rational faith are, 1. That the things revealed be not contrary to, though they may be above, natural reason. 2. That the revealer be well acquainted with the things he reveals. 3. That he be above all suspicion of deceiving us.

Where these criterions are found, no reasonable person will deny his assent: thus, we may as well doubt of our own existence, as of the truth of a revelation coming from God, who can neither be deceived himself, nor deceive others by proposing things to be believed that are contradictory to the faculties he has given us. Whatever propositions, therefore, are beyond reason, but not contrary to it, are, when revealed, the proper matter of faith.

Fidelity, (Fides), was devised by the ancient Romans, and had a temple in the Capitol consecrated to her by Attius Calatinus. Her priests wore white veils: unbloody sacrifices were offered to her, and the greatest oaths were taken in her name. Horace clothes her in white, places her in the retinue of Fortune, and makes her the sister of Justice, Od. 24, 351. i. Public Faith is represented in a great number of medals; sometimes with a basket of fruit in one hand, and some ears of corn in the other; and sometimes holding a turtle-dove. But the most usual symbol is two hands joined together. The inscriptions are generally, Fides Augusti, Fides Exercitus, or Fides Militum, &c.