George Hutcheson
23 That all men should honour the Sonne, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Sonne, honoureth not the Father, which hath sent him.
The end of this communication with the Sonne, (and a third proof of his equality with the Father) is, Christs participation in divine honour with the Father, which whosoever deny to him, they deny it also to the Father. Whence learn, 1. There is an honour due to God onely, and not to be given to any other; consisting in the admiring and publishing of his infinite excellencie and perfection; in subjecting our selves to him, with absolute submission; and, in offering up religious worship and homage to him; Therefore doth Christ prove his equality with the Father, by partaking of the same honour with him. 2. Gods glory and the manifesting thereof, is his supreme end in all his works in the world; which we should set before us in all our wayes, and submit in every dispensation whereby he is glorified; for he judgeth, and committeth judgement to the Sonne, That all men should honour the Sonne, &c. See Prov. 16.4. John 12.28. 3. The glory of the excellencie of wisdome, sovereignty, alsufficiencie, power, and every other attribute, is due to God from men, in his administration of the world: And men ought rather to study matter of his praise, then of complaining and quarrelling, therein; for, it is the very end of his administration of all, by his Sonne, that all men should honour the Sonne, &c. 4. Christ is equal with the Father in participating of divine honour; As he hath the same throne, and power of administration with him; so no lesse glory is due to him, then is due to the Father; for, all men should honour the Sonne, even as they honour the Father. See John 17.5. He is to have the same glory of beleeving in him, John 14.1. of love, fear, invocation, bowing of the knee, &c. with the Father. 5. As no man hath, or enjoyeth, or acknowledgeth the Father, but he who acknowledgeth the Sonne, and the Father in and through him, 1 John 2.23. So, however men do pretend to acknowledge one true God; yet, they cannot withdraw honour from the Sonne, but they deny it to the Father, who will not be honoured, but in and through the honouring of the Sonne; for, he that honoureth not the Sonne, honoureth not the Father. 6. Christ, as he is true God, equal with the Father, so he sustaines the relation also of being the Fathers Ambassadour, sent into the world, for the redemption of lost man, by the exercise of his Mediatory office; for, so is imported here, that the Father hath sent him. And this he takes delight to speak of in the midst of his divine glory, that the Jewes might not stumble at that condescendence, wherein he delighted so much. 7. Christs condescendence to come into the world as Mediator of sinners, diminesheth nothing of his divine glory, but in the same person he remains true God, to be equally honoured with the Father; for, though he be sent, yet he is to be honoured, even as the Father. He is an Ambassadour whose honour ceaseth by the presence of the King, but remaineth equal with the Father, though in respect of that voluntary dispensation, as God-man, he is inferiour. 8. As the Father is honoured in and through the honour given to the Sonne, as God equal with him; So also is he honoured in his authority, by mens acknowledging of Christ, as sent of him into the world; And whoever despise Christ, they offer injury unto God, in both these respects; so much also may we gather in that, he that honoureth not the Sonne, honoureth not the Father which hath sent him.
