Raising Affections in Preaching

from Desiring God Blog
(Author: John Piper)

Here is one of the most insightful and influential quotes on preaching I ever read. It's from Jonathan Edwards:

I don't think ministers are to be blamed for raising the affections of their hearers too high, if that which they are affected with be only that which is worthy of affection, and their affections are not raised beyond a proportion to their importance, or worthiness of affection.

I should think myself in the way of my duty to raise the affections of my hearers as high as possibly I can, provided that they are affected with nothing but truth, and with affections that are not disagreeable to the nature of what they are affected with.