First then, I expect to be attack’d with that old moral Precept, of _Not doing Evil that Good may come of it_. This may be answer’d with another old Saying, equally authentic, and more applicable to the present Purpose, that _of two Evils we ought to chuse the least_. The Case is this: A private Member of a _Society_, may, doubtless, commit a Crime with a Design to promote the Good of that _Society_, which was partly the Case of _Felton_ against the Duke of _Buckingham_; and this evil Action may possibly answer the Goodness of the Intention, but is universally condemn’d as an unwarrantable Presumption; and falls justly under the Censure of doing a certain Evil, for the Prospect of an uncertain Good. But as to the _Legislature_, there is a wide Difference; for they, and they only, are intrusted with the Welfare of the _Society_: This Publick Welfare is, or ought to be, the whole End and Scope of their Actions; and they are fully impower’d to do whatever they judge conducive to that End. If their Intentions come up to this, they are certainly in their Consciences acquitted: But as to the World, their Actions, that is, their Laws, are judg’d good or bad, just or unjust, according as they actually prove beneficial or detrimental to the _Society_ in general: And therefore it is the grossest Absurdity, and a perfect Contradiction in Terms, to assert, That a _Government_ may not commit Evil that Good may come of it; for, if a Publick Act, taking in all its Consequences, really produces a greater Quantity of Good, it must, and ought to be term’d a good Act; altho’ the bare Act, consider’d in itself, without the consequent Good, should be in the highest Degree wicked and unjust.
As for Instance: A Ship performing Quarantine, and known to be infected, is sunk by a Storm; some of the Crew, half drown’d, recover the Shore; but the Moment they land, the _Government_ orders them to be shot to Death. This Action, in itself, is no less than a downright unchristian and inhuman Murther; but since the Health and Safety of the Nation is secured by this severe Precaution, it is no Wonder, if we allow the Action to be not only justifiable, but in the strictest Sense of Morality Just.
Another Objection, or rather the same set in a stronger Light, is, That altho’ the Welfare and Happiness of the Community is, or ought to be, the only End of all Law and Government, yet since our spiritual Welfare is the _Summum Bonum_ which all Christians should aim at, no Christian Government ought to authorize the Commission of the least known Sin, tho’ for the greatest temporal Advantage.