Eight reasons that ministers should examine themselves:
1. You have heaven to win or lose yourselves… A holy calling will not save an unholy man.
2. You have sinful inclinations as well as others.
3. (You) have greater temptations than most men.
4. The tempter will make his first and sharpest onset upon you. If you will be leaders against him, he will spare you no further than God restrains him.
5. Many eyes are upon you, and therefore there will be many to observe your falls.
6. Your sins are more aggravated than those of other men. They have more of hypocrisy in them, and are more detrimental to the cause of religion.
7. The honor of your Lord and Master, and of His holy truth, doth lie more on you than other men.
8. The souls of your hearers and the success of your labors do very much depend upon your self-examination.
Richard Baxter