Faith sb.

Forms: 3 feið, 3–4 feiþ, (4 feiȝþ), 3–6 feith(e, 4–5 feyth(e, 4 faiþ(e, 4–6 fayth(e, (5 fath, feth), 5–6 faithe, 4– faith. See also FAY sb.¹ [a. OF. feid, feit (pronounced feið, ? feiþ: see Suchier in Gröber’s Grundriss Rom. Phil., I. 586), = Pr. fe (nom. fes), Sp., Pg. fé It. fede:—L. fidem, f. root of fīdĕre to trust. The later OF. form fei (whence mod.F. foi) was also adopted in ME., and survived in certain phrases down to 16th c.: see FAY sb.¹

  The L. fides, like its etymological cognate Gr. πίστις, which it renders in the N. T., had the following principal senses: 1. Belief, trust. 2. That which produces belief, evidence, token, pledge, engagement. 3. Trust in its objective aspect, troth; observance of trust, fidelity.]

  I.  Belief, trust, confidence.

  1.  Confidence, reliance, trust (in the ability, goodness, etc., of a person; in the efficacy or worth of a thing; or in the truth of a statement or doctrine). Const. in, † of. In early use, only with reference to religious objects; this is still the prevalent application, and often colors the wider use.

a. 1300.  Cursor M., 3405 (Cott.). In drightin was his fayth ai fest. Ibid. (c. 1340), 2286 (Trin.). In maumetrie furst feiþ he [nembrot] fond.

c. 1391.  Chaucer, Astrol., II. § 4. Observauncez of iudicial matiere & rytes of paiens, in which my spirit ne hath no feith, ne no knowyng of hir horoscopum.

1398.  Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., XV. lxxxvii. (1495), 522. The Germans tornyd the Liuones … to the worshyp and fayth of one god.

1550.  Crowley, The Last Trumpet, 151.

1680.  Otway, Orphan, II. vii.

1768–74.  Tucker, Lt. Nat. (1852), II. 235. When we say, that such an one has great faith in Ward’s pills, or James’ powder, or Berkley’s tar water, for curing all distempers.

1821.  Chalmers, Serm., I. i. 18. Faith in the constancy of this law.

1837.  J. H. Newman, Par. Serm. (ed. 2), III. vi. 87. To have faith in God is to surrender oneself to God.

1848.  Macaulay, Hist. Eng., I. 168. Without faith in human virtue or in human attachment.

1855.  Kingsley, Lett. (1878), I. 442. There was the most intense faith in him from the first that Right was right and wrong wrong.

  b.  Belief proceeding from reliance on testimony or authority.

1551.  T. Wilson, Logike (1580), 60 b. An historicall faithe. As I doe beleve that Willyam Conquerour was kyng of Englande.

a. 1628.  J. Preston, The Breast-plate of Faith and Love (1630), 16. Faith is more: for Fides est actus intellectus, It is an act of the vnderstanding, assenting to Truths for the Authority of the Speaker; therefore the mind and will must concurre to make vp this Faith.

1725.  Watts, Logic, II. ii. § 9. When we derive the Evidence of any Proposition from the Testimony of others, it is called the Evidence of Faith.

a. 1873.  Huxley, in Hamerton, Intell. Life, VIII. ii. (1873), 209. The absolute rejection of authority, the cherishing of the keenest scepticism, the annihilation of the spirit of blind faith.

  2.  Phrases. To give faith: to yield belief to. To pin one’s faith to or upon: to believe implicitly.

1430.  Paston Lett., No. 14, I. 30. I prey yow to gyve feith and credence touchant this matier.

1552.  Abp. Hamilton, Catech. (1884), 27. Fayth to be gevin to the word of God.

1556.  Aurelio & Isab. (1608), I vij. One oughte to geve more feithe unto the secrete consentment of the soule, than [etc.].

1653.  H. Cogan, trans. Pinto’s Trav., xxxv. 140. To these brutish opinions they joyn many others such like, unto which they give so much faith, that nothing can be able to remove them from it.

1702.  Pope, Dryope, 69. If to the wretched any faith be giv’n.

1710.  Hearne, Collect., 4 March. Some pin … their Faith on … Hoadly.

1797.  Mrs. Radcliffe, Italian, vi. You believe, then, that I am willing to give faith to wonderful stories.

1812.  Shelley, Propos. Association, Prose Wks. I. 270. Well-meaning people, who pin their faith upon their grandmother’s apronstring.

1883.  London Society, April, 357. The … practitioner of the old school … pins his faith to time-honoured methods.

  3.  Theol. in various specific applications. a. Belief in the truths of religion; belief in the authenticity of divine revelation (whether viewed as contained in Holy Scripture or in the teaching of the Church), and acceptance of the revealed doctrines. b. That kind of faith (distinctively called saving or justifying faith) by which, in the teaching of the N.T., a sinner is justified in the sight of God. This is very variously defined by theologians (see quots.), but there is general agreement in regarding it as a conviction practically operative on the character and will, and thus opposed to the mere intellectual assent to religious truth (sometimes called speculative faith). c. The spiritual apprehension of divine truths, or of realities beyond the reach of sensible experience or logical proof. By Christian writers often identified with the preceding; but not exclusively confined to Christian use. Often viewed as the exercise of a special faculty in the soul of man, or as the result of supernatural illumination.

1382.  Wyclif, Jas. ii. 17. Feith, if it haue not werkes, is deed in it silf.

1526.  Tindale, Prol. Moses, Wks. 7. Fayth, is the beleuyng of Gods promises, and a sure trust in the goodnes and truth of God, which fayth instilled Abrah.

1555.  Eden, Decades, The Preface to the Reader (Arb.), 51. What shulde I here speake of Abraham the father of fayth whose promyses were great, and he cauled the frend of god.

1581.  J. Merbecke, A Booke of Notes and Common places, 375. Faith … maketh God & man friends: Incrudelitie maketh them foes.

1651.  Hobbes, Leviath., III. xlii. 271. Faith is a gift of God, which Man can neither give, nor take away by promise of rewards, or menaces of torture.

1690.  Locke, Hum. Und., IV. xviii. Faith, on the other side, is the Assent to any Proposition, not thus made out by the Deductions of Reason; but upon the Credit of the Proposer, as coming from God, in some extraordinary way of Communication.

1700.  Burkitt, On N. T., John i. 12. Faith is not a bare credence, but a divine affiance, and such an affiance in Christ, and reliance upon him, as is the parent and principle of obedience to him.

1744.  Swift, Serm. Trinity, 52. Faith is an entire Dependence upon the Truth, the Power, the Justice, and the mercy of God.

1781.  Cowper, Expostulation, 111.

1830.  Wordsworth, The Russian Fugitive, II. xi.

1860.  Pusey, The Minor Prophets, 415. The faith, then, of which Habakkuk speaks, is faith, in itself, but a real true, confiding faith.

1869.  Goulburn, The Pursuit of Holiness, iii. 21. Now what is faith? It may be defined as the faculty by which we realize unseen things—such as the Being and Presence of God, the work which Our Lord did for us, the future judgment, the future recompense of the righteous, and the like unseen things.

  4.  That which is or should be believed. a. A system of religious belief, e.g., The Christian, Jewish, Mohammedan, etc., faith. Also, Confession, Rule of Faith, for which see those words.

c. 1325.  Coer de L., 4061.

c. 1330.  R. Brunne, Chron. (1810), 24. At haly kirkes fayth alle on were boþe.

1393.  Langl., P. Pl., C. XVIII. 258. In a faith lyueþ þat folke, and in a false mene.

c. 1400.  Maundev. (1839), iii. 18. Men of Greece ben Cristene, zit they varien from oure Feithe.

1485.  Caxton, Charles the Grete, 1. The cristen feythe is affermed and corrobered by the doctours of the holy chyrche.

1529.  More, Dyaloge, II. Wks. 179/1. The churche is and muste bee all of one belief, and haue all one fayth.

1553.  Eden, Treat. Newe Ind. (Arb.), 24. They [people of Cathay] haue no law written and are of no faith.

1599.  Shaks., Much Ado, I. i. 75. He weares his faith but as the fashion of his hat.

1611.  Bible, Jude 3. Earnestly contend for the faith which was once deliuered vnto the Saints.

1653.  H. Cogan, trans. Pinto’s Trav., viii. 21. I swear to thee by the faith of Pagan, that [etc.].

1832.  W. Irving, Alhambra, I. 302. Are you willing to renounce the faith of your father?

1858.  Ld. St. Leonards, Handy-bk. Prop. Law, xiii. 81. The child should be brought up in the religious faith of the father.

  transf.  1878.  Morley, Byron, Crit. Misc. 1st Ser., 224. Was this the secret of the mysterious charm that scenes of violent strife and bloodshed always had for Byron’s imagination, as it was perhaps the secret of the black transformation of the social faith of ’89 into the worship of the Conqueror of ’99?

  b.  The faith: the true religion; usually = the Christian faith. Also, without article in certain phrases, as contrary to faith, etc. Of faith: part and parcel of the faith.

a. 1300.  Cursor M., 21013 (Cott.).

a. 1375.  Joseph Arim., 11.

c. 1485.  Digby Myst., II. 240. A very pynacle of the fayth.

1555.  Eden, Decades, The Preface to the Reader (Arb.), 50. marg. The Indians subdued to the fayth.

1611.  Bible, Transl. Pref., 3. A manifest falling away from the Faith.

1635.  Pagitt, Christianogr., I. iii. (1636), 108. The Gospel conteineth intirely the faith.

1844.  Lingard, Anglo-Sax. Ch. (1845), II. App. 401. Charlemagne sent the book to England, and that it was found to contain matters contrary to faith, especially that images were to be adored.

1867.  Bp. Forbes, Explan., 39 Art. i. (1881), 5. The uncompounded nature of God is of faith.

  c.  What is believed, or required to be believed, on a particular subject, † Also pl. points of faith, tenets.

c. 1380.  Wyclif, Sel. Wks., III. 378. Freris perverten þo right feithe of þo sacrament of þo auter, and bringen in a newe heresie.

1513.  Bradshaw, St. Werburge, I. 1638. Prechynge … The faythes of holy chyrche.

1845.  Maurice, Mor. & Met. Philos. in Encycl. Metrop., II, 632/1. We assumed the common faith of our countrymen respecting the … discipline of the Jew to be true.

1883.  H. Drummond, Nat. Law in Spir. W., 276. A repetition of the Hebrew poets’ faith.

  † 5.  Act of (the) faith: = AUTO DA FÉ. Obs.

1656.  Ben Israel, Vind. Judæorum, in Phenix (1708), II. 400. The Act of the Faith, which is ordinarily done at Toledo, was done at Madrid, Anno 1632.

1709.  Lond. Gaz., No. 4565/1. On the thirtieth of the last Month an Act of Faith was held in this City [Lisbon] by the Inquisition.

  II.  Inducement to belief or trust.

  † 6.  Power to produce belief, credit, convincing authority. Obs.

a. 1638.  Mede, Ep. to Estwick, Wks. IV. 836. S. Jerom is a man of no faith with me, when he describes the opinion of his Adversary: which whatsoever it were, he would set it forth as odiously as possible could be.

1808.  W. Mitford, Hist. Greece, IV. xxxi. (app.), 124. It may not be wholly unnecessary, both toward establishing the faith of the foregoing, and clearing the way for the coming narrative, to take some farther notice of obscurities left, and extravagancies warranted by writers of high authority, through which this part of history has been singularly clouded and disguised.

  † 7.  Attestation, confirmation, assurance. Obs.

1393.  Gower, Conf., III. 326.

1556.  Aurelio & Isab. (1608), F vj. The manney folde paines … makethe cleare faithe inoughe, that the greter follie is yowres.

1654.  Jer. Taylor, Real Pres., xii. 27. An excellent MS. that makes faith in this particular.

1730.  A. Gordon, Maffei’s Amphith., 375. Found my self obliged to cancel and alter that which, relying on the Faith of Books, and Accounts given me thereof from others, I had formerly wrote.

  † 8.  Assurance given, formal declaration, pledge, promise. In phrases, To do, make faith (= L. fidem facere): to affirm, promise, give surety. To give (one’s) faith (= L. fidem dare): to give assurance, pledge one’s word. On his faith: on parole. Obs.

1382.  Wyclif, Prov. xi. 15. He shal be tormentid with euel that doth feith [Vulg. fidem facit] for a stranger.

c. 1400.  Destr. Troy, 548.

c. 1430.  Syr Gener. (Roxb.), 9969.

1483.  Caxton, Gold. Leg., 223/1. Alle made fayth to other that euery man shold abyde and serue other in alle estates.

1523.  Ld. Berners, Froiss., I. ccxi. 254. The kyng of England … trusted them on theyr faithes.

1548.  Hall, Chron., 184 b. Emongest men of warre, faith or othe, syldome is perfourmed.

1558.  Bp. Watson, Sev. Sacram., xxviii. 178. Jane, here I geue to thee my faythe and truthe … I wyll marrye thee.

1581.  J. Merbecke, A Booke of Notes and Common places, 807. Faith was made to them, that by safe conduct, they should come safe and returne safe.

1641.  Baker, Chron. (1679), 32/2. King William … upon faith given returns to London.

1685.  H. Consett, The Practice of the Spiritual Or Ecclesiastical Courts, 265. If the Plaintiff doth personally make Faith, that [etc.].

  b.  On the faith of: in reliance on the security of.

1734.  trans. Rollin’s Anc. Hist. (1827), I. 344. [They] traded there on the faith of treaties.

1839.  Thirlwall, Greece, VII. lvii. 204. On the faith of his oath they had placed themselves in his power.

1866.  Crump, Banking, i. 28. The bank-note is circulated entirely upon the faith of the issuing bank.

1890.  Sir R. Romer, in Law Times’ Rep., LXIII. 685/2. The plaintiff applied for shares … on the faith of the prospectus.

  III.  The obligation imposed by a trust.

  9.  The duty of fulfilling one’s trust; allegiance owed to a superior, fealty; the obligation of a promise or engagement.

c. 1250.  Gen. & Ex., 2187. Bi ðe feið ic oȝ to king pharaon.

c. 1330.  R. Brunne, Chron. (1810), 333. Þe best were þan in his feith.

1389.  in Eng. Gilds (1870), 39. The feyth þat þet owen to god and þe ligeaunce þpa þei awe to oure lord þe kyng.

14[?].  Customs of Malton, in Surtees Misc. (1890), 63. He schall never clame no thyng … bott alonly hys faythe for hys … lande.

c. 1489.  Caxton, Sonnes of Aymon, xxv. 538. Vpon the feyth that ye owe to me.

1568.  Grafton, Chron., II. 78. Untill he were returned unto his fayth.

1598.  W. Phillips, Linschoten, in Arb., Garner, III. 15. The Lords … took their oaths of faith [fealty] and allegiance unto DON PHILIP.

1671.  Milton, Samson, 984.

1863.  Mary Howett, trans. F. Bremer’s Greece, I. vii. 245. The Jesuits went about in the island and promised its inhabitants the support of France if they would subscribe a paper written in Latin, by which they bound themselves to give their faith and obedience to the French monarch.

  b.  In many phrases, in which the sense approaches that of 8: to engage, pledge, plight (one’s) faith; † to swear, perjure one’s faith; to keep († hold), break, violate (one’s) faith; so breach of faith.

c. 1320.  The Seuyn Sages (W.), 3274. For glotonye he brake hys fayth.

c. 1374.  Chaucer, Former Age, 48. Everych of hem his feith to oother kepte.

c. 1400.  Maundev. (1839), xii. 138. Non of hem holdethe Feythe to another.

1483.  Caxton, Cato, B j. A man ought not onely to kepe hys feyth vnto his frendes, but also to his enemyes.

1588.  Shaks., Loves Labour’s Lost, V. ii. 283. Qu. And quicke Berowne hath plighted faith to me.

c. 1592.  Marlowe, Jew of Malta, II. ii. Faith is not to be held with heretics.

1665.  Manley, Grotius’ Low C. Warres, 339. The Opinion of many among the Romanists, in hatred of Peace, was too commonly cast abroad, That no Faith is to be held with such as differ from them.

1697.  Dryden, Virg. Pastorals, VIII. 25.

1781.  Gibbon, Decl. & F., II. 129. The two princes mutually engaged their faith never to [etc.].

1874.  Stubbs, The Constitutional History of England (1875), II. xv. 296. He [Edward II.] saw what was best for his age and people; he led the way and kept faith.

  10.  The quality of fulfilling one’s trust; faithfulness, fidelity, loyalty, † To bear faith: to be loyal to.

c. 1250.  Gen. & Ex., 2678. Ðat him sal feið wurðful ben boren.

a. 1300.  Cursor M., 6980 (Cott.). Þair faith lasted littel space,… þai … lefte þe lagh of hei drightin.

c. 1391.  Chaucer, Astrol., Prol. 2. Alle that him feyth bereth & obeieth.

1393.  Gower, Conf., III. 70.

1590.  Shaks., Mids. N., III. ii. 127. Bearing the badge of faith to proue them true. Ibid. (1593), 2 Hen. VI., V. i. 166. Oh where is Faith? Oh, where is Loyalty?

1649.  Evelyn, Mem. (1857), III. 40. Persons of great faith to his Majesty’s cause.

1741.  C. Middleton, Cicero, I. VI. 492. Illustrious for victory and faith.

1810.  T. Jefferson, Letter to Cæsar A. Rodney, 10 Feb., in Writ. (1830), IV. 137. At any other period, the even-handed justice we have observed towards all nations, the efforts we have made to merit their esteem by every act which candor or liberality could exercise, would have preserved our peace, and secured the unqualified confidence of all other nations in our faith and probity.

1844.  H. H. Wilson, The History of British India, II. 166. Indignant at his want of faith.

  11.  Good faith, bad faith: = L. bona, mala fides, in which the primary notion seems to have been the objective aspect of confidence well or ill bestowed. The Eng. uses closely follow those of L.

  a.  Good faith: fidelity, loyalty (= sense 10); esp. honesty of intention in entering into engagements, sincerity in professions, BONA FIDES.

c. 1340.  Cursor M., 6778 (Fairf.). To vse gode faiþ god vs bede.

1480.  Caxton, Chron. Eng., ccxxv. 230. Goodes kyng Edward fonde redy vn to hym and maden and beheighten hym seurte by good feith and trust.

1824.  Mackintosh, Sp. Ho. Com., 15 June, Wks. 1846, III. 464. They [the Columbians] have been able to observe good faith with their creditors.

1871.  Blackie, Four Phases, i. 37. If finally the good, who practise virtue most severely, in the ambitious contests of human life are still found for the most part envying one another and hating one another, among what class of men, I ask, are fellowship and good faith possible?

1885.  Sir J. Hannen, in Law Reports, 15. Q. Bench Div., 139. It is admitted that the magistrates … acted in good faith.

  b.  Bad faith: faithlessness, treachery; intent to deceive. Punic (rarely Carthaginian) faith (= L. fides Punica): faithlessness.

1631.  Massinger, Believe as You List, II. ii.

1653.  H. Cogan, trans. Pinto’s Trav., xlvi. 179. We had voluntarily submitted our selves in that sort to the bad faith of the Chineses.

1711.  Steele, Spect., No. 174, 19 Sept., ¶ 2. Carthaginian Faith was a proverbial Phrase to intimate Breach of Leagues.

1768–74.  Tucker, Lt. Nat. (1852), II. 318. French faith became the same among us, as Punic faith had been among the Romans.

  12.  In asseverative phrases, a. In (good) faith: in truth, really, ‘sooth to say.’

c. 1350.  Will. Palerne, 858. And fayn sche wold þan in feiþ haue fold him in hire armes.

c. 1386.  Chaucer, Chan. Yeom. Prol. § T., 91. He is to wys in feith, as I bileeue.

1393.  Gower, Conf., III. 25.

c. 1400.  Destr. Troy, 735. Þou failes not in faith of a fowle end.

1513.  More, Rich. III., in Grafton, Chron., II. 769. In good fayth … I would not be he that [etc.].

1599.  Minsheu, Pleasant and Delightfull Dialogues in Spanish and English (1623), 28. In faith this mule hath taken degree in Zalamanca.

1755.  Smollett, Quix. (1803), IV. 107. In good faith, we have no poor kindred now: we have caught the governorship: ay, ay, pick me up the best gentlewoman of them all, ifack!

  b.  In faith, i’ faith, faith, good faith: used interjectionally.

c. 1420.  Sir Amadace (Camd.). xii.

1513.  More, Rich. III., in Grafton, Chron., I. 781. In faith man … I was never so sory.

c. 1530.  Redforde, Play Wit & Sc. (1848), 11. Do ye fle, ifayth?

1586.  A. Day, The English Secretary, II. (1625), 48. Faith sir, to be plaine with you, tis but as the wiser sort do hold opinion.

1594.  Shaks., Rich. III., II. iv. 16.

1607.  Tourneur, Rev. Trag., V. iii.

1709.  The Tatler, No. 110, 22 Dec., ¶ 4. Faith Isaac … thou art a very unaccountable old Fellow.

1777.  Sheridan, Sch. Scand., III. i. Speak to me thus, and i’faith there’s nothing I could refuse you.

1795.  Burns, For a’ That and a’ That, iv.

1840.  Dickens, Barn. Rudge, v. I’d rather be in old John’s chimney-corner, faith.

1849.  G. P. R. James, The Woodman, v. Good faith, he has no choice.

1855.  Browning, Bishop Blougram’s Apology.

  c.  In quasi-oaths. By or on my, thy, etc., faith, By the faith of (my body, love, etc.). My faith (= Fr. ma foi!).

c. 1350.  Will. Palerne, 275.

c. 1420.  Sir Amadace (Camd.), lxi. But, be my faythe, with-outun stryue.

c. 1477.  Caxton, Jason, 36 b. By your faith seme ye good that I ought to goo after him.

c. 1489.  Caxton, Blanchardyn and Eglantine, xxiii. 75. On my feyth ye be well the man.

1588.  Marprelate Epistle (Arb.), 5. By my faith, by my faith, my masters this geare goeth hard with vs.

1600.  Shaks., As You Like It, III. ii. 450. Orlan. Now by the faith of my loue, I will; Tel me where it is. Ibid. (1601), All’s Well that ends Well, II. i. 84. Now by my faith and honour.

1798.  Coleridge, The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, VII. iv.

1871.  Browning, Prince Hohenstiel-Schwangau, 1421. Weapons outflourished in the wind, my faith!

  ¶ 13.  An alleged designation for a company of merchants.

1486.  Bk. St. Albans, F vij a. A faith of Marchandis.

  IV.  14. Comb. Chiefly objective, as faith-breach, -breaker, -stretcher; faith-definition, -reformation, -tradition, faith-breaking, -keeping sb. and adj.; faith-confirming, -infringing, † -workful adj.; faith-wise adv.; faith-cure, a cure wrought by means of ‘the prayer of faith’ (James v. 15); whence faith-curer, -curist, one who believes in or practises faith-cure; faith-fire, fig. the flame of faith; faith-healer = faith-curer; faith-healing, healing by faith-cure; faith-mark, one of the leading tenets of religion; faith-press, the Inquisition.

1605.  Shaks., Macb., V. ii. 16.

c. 1440.  Promp. Parv., 153. *Feythe breke(r), fidifragus.

1561.  T. Norton, Calvin’s Inst., IV. xx. (1634), 736. They are false Faith-breakers in their office.

a. 1649.  Drumm. of Hawth., Hist. Jas. II., Wks. (1711), 30. They declare the King, and those that abode with him, Faith-breakers, perjured Persons, Enemies to all Goodness and good Men.

1852.  Miss Yonge, Cameos, II. xxi. 236. He [Owain Glyndwyr] was no rebel, no faith-breaker, for he had never owned any king save Richard II.; but it is impossible to respect him as a patriot without remembering that he made war as a savage; and, though courteous to noble prisoners, allowed terrible cruelties to be exercised upon the meaner sort.

1625.  K. Long, trans. Barclay’s Argenis, III. vii. 174. Whether she were afraid in earnest, in the very instant of her *faith-breaking, or whether she laboured to make the courtesie of Treason the more acceptable.

1654.  Gayton, Pleasant Notes upon Don Quixot, III. viii. 123. Don Quixot’s Oration was received as Caesars at the passe of Rubicon; when his speech against the insulting, covetous Faith-breaking Senate was applauded by the whole Army.

1645.  Quarles, Sol. Recant., 56. *Faith-confirming Charity.

1885.  Salt Lake Daily Herald, 6 Jan., 6/3. He is a fast believer in what is termed the *faith cure.

1885.  A. F. Schauffler, Faith-Cures, in Century Mag., XXXI. Dec., 274. A faith-cure is a cure wrought by God in answer to prayer, without any other means, such as medicine, surgery, change of climate, or indeed any external or internal remedies.

1888.  Pop. Sc. Monthly, XXXII. 507. The miracles claimed by the *faith-curers.

1888.  N. Y. Herald, 29 July, 16/6. Great preparations are being made by the *Faith-Curists … for their annual conference.

1665.  J. Sergeant, Sure-footing in Chr., 209–10. But he will finde no such fopperies in *Faith-definitions made by the Catholick Church.

1890.  McCave & Breen, Alcester Lect., 40. Neighbouring bishops were expected to keep the *faith-fire ablaze along their frontiers.

1885.  A. F. Schauffler, Faith-Cures, in Century Mag., XXXI. Dec., 276/1. We claim that all *faith-healers should report as do our hospitals.

1885.  G. Allen, ‘That Very Mab,’ in Longm. Mag., VII., Nov., 85. Persons who believe in *faith-healing, and esoteric Buddhism, and thought-reading, and arbitration, and phonetic spelling, can believe in anything except what their mothers taught them on their knees.

1621.  Brathwait, Natures Embassie (1877), 24. A *faith-infringing Polymnestor, who betrayes the trust of a Protector, in praying vpon the Orphane Polydore.

1605.  Verstegan, Dec. Intell., viii. (1628), 253. This was … giuen as it appeareth in recomendation [of] loyaltie or *faith-keeping.

1648.  Fairfax, etc., Remonstrance, 30. For point of Faith-keeping … witnesse his Accords with the Scottish Nation, and how he kept them.

a. 1849.  J. C. Mangan, Kinkora, Poems (1859), 383.s

1822.  Syd. Smith, Wks. (1859), II. 8/2. When once the ancient *faith-marks of the Church are lost sight of and despised, any misled theologian may launch out on the boundless sea of polemical vexation.

1624.  T. Scott, Lawfuln. Netherlandish War, 14. That most intolerable … thraldome of the Inquisition, or *Faith-presse.

1665.  J. Sergeant, Sure-footing in Chr., 233. The last refuge then of a passion-misled Reason is, asham’d of her want of Principles and loth to show her head, to pretend private Inspirations: which therefore is the last non ultra of all Heresies and the flower or most refin’d quintessence of all *Faith-Reformation.

1676.  Marvell, Gen. Councils, Wks. 1875, IV. 126. Those *faith-stretchers … that put mens consciences upon the torture.

1665.  J. Sergeant, Sure-footing in Chr., 43. Then we shall have gain’d a compleat and proper notion of *Faith-Tradition.

1869.  W. P. Mackay, Grace & Truth (1875), 72. Salvation came intellect-wise, and not *faith-wise.

1604.  Broughton, Corrupt. Handl. Relig. (1605), 93. Troupfull Gad was grauen in this *faithworkfull stone.