23WemayarriveatthesameconclusionfromobservingthatweneverreadthattheApostleswerecommandedtowrite，butonlythattheywenteverywherepreaching，andconfirmedtheirwordswithsigns。24TheirpersonalpresenceandsignswereabsolutelynecessaryfortheconversionandestablishmentinreligionoftheGentiles；asPaulhimselfexpresslystatesinRom。i:11，\"ButIlongtoseeyou，thatImayimparttoyousomespiritualgift，totheendthatyemaybeestablished。\"
25ItmaybeobjectedthatwemightproveinsimilarfashionthattheApostlesdidnotpreachasprophets，fortheydidnotgotoparticularplaces，astheprophetsdid，bythecommandofGod。26WereadintheOldTestamentthatJonahwenttoNinevehtopreach，andatthesametimethathewasexpresslysentthere，andtoldthathemostpreach。
27Soalsoitisrelated，atgreatlength，ofMosesthathewenttoEgyptasthemessengerofGod，andwastoldatthesametimewhatheshouldsaytothechildrenofIsraelandtokingPharaoh，andwhatwondersheshouldworkbeforethemtogivecredittohiswords。28Isaiah，Jeremiah，andEzekielwereexpresslycommandedtopreachtotheIsraelites。Lastly，theprophetsonlypreachedwhatweareassuredbyScripturetheyhadreceivedfromGod，whereasthisishardlyeversaidoftheApostlesintheNewTestament，whentheywentabouttopreach。29Onthecontrary，wefindpassagesexpresslyimplyingthattheApostleschosetheplaceswheretheyshouldpreachontheirownresponsibility，fortherewasadifferenceamountingtoaquarrelbetweenPaulandBarnabasonthesubjectActsxv:37，38。30Oftentheywishedtogotoaplace，butwereprevented，asPaulwrites，Rom。i:13，\"OftentimesIpurposedtocometoyou，butwaslethitherto；\"andinICor。xvi:12，\"AstouchingourbrotherApollos，Igreatlydesiredhimtocomeuntoyouwiththebrethren，buthiswillwasnotatalltocomeatthistime:buthewillcomewhenheshallhaveconvenienttime。\"
31FromtheseexpressionsanddifferencesofopinionamongtheApostles，andalsofromthefactthatScripturenowheretestifiesofthem，asoftheancientprophets，thattheywentbythecommandofGod，onemightconcludethattheypreachedaswellaswroteintheircapacityofteachers，andnotasprophets:butthequestioniseasilysolvedifweobservethedifferencebetweenthemissionofanApostleandthatofanOldTestamentprophet。32
Thelatterwerenotcalledtopreachandprophesytoallnations，buttocertainspecifiedones，andthereforeanexpressandpeculiarmandatewasrequiredforeachofthem；theApostles，ontheotherhand，werecalledtopreachtoallmenabsolutely，andtoturnallmentoreligion。33