DP 87 - Justification

DP 87

From rationality
a person has the ability to understand,
and from freedom the ability to will,
each as though of himself.
Yet the ability to will good in freedom,
and consequently to do it
in accordance with one's reason,
is not possible unless the person is regenerate.
An evil person can in freedom will only evil,
and do it in accordance with his way of thinking,
which he has made by justifications
to be as though a matter of reason.
For one can justify evil just as well as good,
even though evil is justified by fallacies
and appearances which, when affirmed,
become falsities;
and when evil has been justified,
it appears to be as though a matter of reason.