4276. The evil of punishment flows from order; if there were no evil in punishment, order would perish; one would infest many, and these many, many more. Since, then, such an order is for the conservation of all, thence is the permission [of the evil]; just as in every government, if there were not penalties, it would perish. Nay, if a king should pardon criminals, he himself should perish. How much more does this hold in so great a government [as the Lord's]?