The name of PROPHET signifieth in Scripture, sometimes _prolocutor_; that is, he that speaketh from God to man, or from man to God: and sometimes _predictor_, or a foreteller of things to come: and sometimes one that speaketh incoherently, as men that are distracted. It is most frequently used in the sense of speaking from God to the people. So Moses, Samuel, Elijah, Isaiah, Jeremiah, and others were _prophets_. And in this sense the high-priest was a _prophet_, for he only went into the _sanctum sanctorum_, to enquire of God; and was to declare his answer to the people. And therefore when Caiphas said, it was expedient that one man should die for the people, St. John saith (chapter xi. 51) that _He spake not this of himself, but being high-priest that year, he prophesied that one man should die for the nation_. Also they that in Christian congregations taught the people, (_1 Cor._ xiv. 3) are said to prophecy. In the like sense it is, that God saith to Moses (_Exod._ iv. 16) concerning Aaron, _He shall be thy spokesman to the people; and he shall be to thee a mouth, and thou shalt be to him instead of God_: that which here is _spokesman_, is (_Exod._ vii. 1) interpreted prophet; _See_, saith God, _I have made thee a God to Pharaoh, and Aaron thy brother shall be thy prophet_. In the sense of speaking from man to God, Abraham is called a prophet (_Gen._ xx. 7) where God in a dream speaketh to Abimelech in this manner, _Now therefore restore the man his wife, for he is a prophet, and shall pray for thee_; whereby may be also gathered, that the name of prophet may be given, not unproperly, to them that in Christian churches, have a calling to say public prayers for the congregation. In the same sense, the prophets that came down from the high place, or hill of God, with a psaltery, and a tabret, and a pipe, and a harp (_1 Sam._ x. 5, 6, and 10), Saul amongst them, are said to prophecy, in that they praised God in that manner publicly. In the like sense, is Miriam (_Exod._ xv. 20) called a prophetess. So is it also to be taken (_1 Cor._ xi. 4, 5), where St. Paul saith, _Every man that prayeth or prophecieth with his head covered, &c., and every woman that prayeth or prophecieth with her head uncovered_: for prophecy, in that place, signifieth no more, but praising God in psalms and holy songs; which women might do in the church, though it were not lawful for them to speak to the congregation. And in this signification it is, that the poets of the heathen, that composed hymns and other sorts of poems in the honour of their gods, were called _vates_, prophets; as is well enough known by all that are versed in the books of the Gentiles, and as is evident (_Tit._ i. 12), where St. Paul saith of the Cretians, that a prophet of their own said, they were liars; not that St. Paul held their poets for prophets, but acknowledgeth that the word prophet was commonly used to signify them that celebrated the honour of God in verse.