, which change upon the best.

2. Judging their state by the observable measure of grace within them,
and so concluding their state bad, because they observe corruption
prevailing now and then, and grace decaying, and they perceive no
victory over temptations, nor growth in grace, &c.

3. Judging also their state by others; and so they suppose that they
cannot be believers, because they are so unlike to others, whom they
judge true believers. This is also to judge by a wrong rule.

4. Judging themselves by themselves, that is, because they look so
unlike to what sometimes they were themselves, they conclude that their
state cannot be good, which is also a wrong rule to judge their state
by.

5. Beginning to try and examine their case and state, and coming to no
close or issue, so that when they have done, they are as unclear and
uncertain what to judge of themselves, as when they began; or,

6. Taking little or no pains to try themselves seriously, as in the
sight of God, but resting satisfied with a superficial trial, which can
come to no good issue.

7. Trying and examining, but through the sleight of Satan, and because
pitching upon wrong marks, coming to no good issue, but condemning
themselves without ground.

8. There is another thing which occasioneth this misjudging, to wit, the
want of distinctness and clearness in covenanting with Christ, and the
ignorance of the nature of true saving faith.

As to the _third_ particular, how Christ is Life to the believer in this
case,

I answer, Christ manifesteth himself to be life to the soul in this
case:

1. By sending the Spirit of life, that enlighteneth, informeth,
persuadeth, and sealeth.

2. By actuating grace so in the soul, that it manifesteth itself, and
evidenceth itself to be there; as the heat and burning of a fire will
discover itself without other tokens.

The _fourth_ particular, to wit, how the soul should be exercised, or
how it should employ Christ, for an outgate from this, hath been
abundantly cleared above, where we shewed, that believers in this case
should,

1. Be frequent in gripping Christ and closing with him as their
all-sufficient Mediator; and faith thus frequently acting on him may
discover itself at length.

2. Look to Christ that hath eye-salve, and is given for a witness.

3. Keep grips fast of him, though they be in the dark; and walk on
gripping to him.

4. Keep love toward him and his working, and in exercise.

5