an important, note-worthy matter, that should be well understood; St.
Paul has spoken much particularly upon it.

We cannot all of us do the same kind of work, but every one must
labor each for himself,--a husband in a different sphere from the
wife, a servant in a different sphere from the master, and so
throughout. And it is a foolish thing to preach that we should all do
one work, as those senseless preachers have done who preach the
legends of the saints,--that _these_ saints have done _that_ work,
_those_, another, and then insist and say we should do the same.

It is doubtless true that Abraham did a good work, highly to be
esteemed, when he offered up his son, since this was particularly
commanded him of God. When the heathen did the same and would
sacrifice their children likewise, this was an act of cruelty in the
sight of God. So, also, King Solomon did well in building the temple,
and God justly rewarded him for it. And our blind fools, now, would
also do the same,[3] and preach that we must build churches and
temples for God, while God has given us no command on the subject. So
it now comes to pass, that men busy themselves with a single kind of
employment, and have many views in it directly in opposition to the
Gospel.

[Footnote 3: Luther here doubtless refers to what he regarded as the
foolish project of the Pope in attempting to build the church of St.
Peter, at Rome,--the project which sent Tetzel into Germany, and made
the sale of indulgences so common and obnoxious.--[_Trans._]]

But this is what should be taught, that there should be a single aim
and many employments, one heart and many hands: all should not follow
one business, but every one should attend to his own; otherwise there
will not remain unity of aim and heart. As to what is external, it
must be permitted to remain of a manifold character, so that every
one abide in that which has been committed to him, and the work that
he has in hand. This is a true doctrine, and it is exceedingly
necessary that it should be well understood; for the devil expends
his care particularly on this, and has brought things into such a
state, that judgment is passed on the employment, and every one
thinks that his own should be counted better than another's; hence it
has come to pass, that men are so disunited one with another, monks
against priests, one Order against another, for every one has wished
to do the best work: thus they must satisfy themselves,