John Spencer 
Things New and Old, or a Storehouse of Similes, Sentences, Allegories, Apophthegms, Adages, Apologues, Divine, Moral, Political, &C., With Their Several Applications [PDF ebook] 
Collected and Observed From the Writings and Sayings of the Learned in All Ages to This Present

Whilst the greatest effort has been made to ensure the quality of this text, due to the historical nature of this content, in some rare cases there may be minor issues with legibility. I 255. Faith to be Preserved as the Head of all Graces, and why so. It is observed that the serpent is of all things most careful of his head, because he well knows, though he be cut and mangled never so much in the body, or any part of it, yet if his head be but whole, it will cure all the wounds of the other members. And such wisdom ought all of us to have, to labour above all things to keep our head, our faith, whole and sound, to make sure of that, whatsoever we do because if anything else receive a wound, If any other of our graces have, as It were, even lost their spiritual strength and vigour, faith will renew them again but if this once suffer shipwreck, it will cost many a sigh, many a tear, manyoa groan in the spirit, before it be recovered again: for, wlthout It, all other graces decay and perish, are as in a winter condition of barrenness without it; yet, if it do but appear, there Will be a spring tide of all spiritual blessings whatsoever.