'Bitter zeal, ungoverned zeal': a 1691 Gunpowder Plot Day sermon

On this Gunpowder Plot Day, words from a 5th November 1691 sermon by John Sharp, Archbishop of York, on the text of Romans 10:2, "For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge". In our own age of bitter culture wars and heightened partisanship in Church and State (and mindful that today, of course, is the presidential election in the United States), Sharp points us to the Gunpowder Treason as an unfortunately resonant example of zeal "not according to knowledge", destructive of "true Religion" and "Publick peace". Against this, we are to be marked by a right and true zeal "agreeable to the Spirit and Temper of our great Lord and Master Christ":

I wish this mark of right Zeal, that it ought to be according to knowledge, were more considered. For it seems not often to be thought on by those that are most zealous in their way, of what perswasion soever they be. This same business of Knowledge, is a thing that is most commonly forgot to be taken in as an ingredient or Companion of Zeal, in most sort of Professors. For as the World goes, those Men are generally found to be the greatest Zealots, who are most notoriously Ignorant. Whereas true Zeal should not only proceed from true Knowledge, but should also be always accompanied with it, and governed by it ...

The Zeal that is according to knowledge, is always attended with hearty Charity. It is not that bitter Zeal which the Apostle speaks of, which is accompanied with Hatred and Envy, and perverse Disputings: But it is kind, and sociable, and meek, even to Gainsayers. It is that Wisdom which is from above, that is first pure, then peaceable, gentle and easy to be intreated. It is a Zeal that loves God and his Truth heartily, and would do all that is possible to bring honour and advancement to them: But at the same time it loveth all Men. And therefore in all things where it expresses it self, it purely consults the Merits of the Cause before it, but lets the Persons of Men alone. It is a certain Argument of an Ignorant and ungovern'd Zeal, when a Man leaves his Cause and his concernment for Gods Glory, and turns his Heat upon those that he has to deal with, when he is peevish and angry with Men that differ from him: When he is not contented to oppose Arguments to Arguments, and to endeavour to gain his point by calm Reasoning; but he flies out into Rage and Fury; and when he is once transported herewith, he cares not what undecent bitter Reflections he makes upon all those that have the Fortune to be of a different side. But in these Cases Men would do well to remember, that the Wrath of Man worketh not the Righteousness of God, as the Apostle expresseth it. All this kind of behaviour savours of the Wisdom of this World, which is earthly, and sensual, and devilish ...

Another inseparable Property of Zeal according to Knowledge is, That it must pursue lawful ends by lawful means; must never do an ill thing for the carrying the best Cause. This St. Paul hath laid down, as a Rule, to be eternally observed among Christians, when in the third of the Romans, he declares, that their damnation is just, who say, Let us do evil that good may come. Be therefore our Point never so good, or never so weighty, yet if we use any dishonest, unlawful Arts, for the gaining of it; that is to say, If we do any thing which is either in it self evil, and appears to be so by the natural Notices of Mankind, or which the Laws of our holy Religion do forbid: I say in all such Instances we are Transgressors. And though our Cause be very good, and our Ends very allowable; yet since the means by which we would accomplish those ends are unwarrantable, the whole Action, though proceeding from never so much Zeal for God, is very Bad. For true Zeal, as it always supposeth a right Information of Judgment, as to the matter of it, so likewise it supposeth, that a Man should act in honest ways, and endeavour to attain his ends by lawful means.