Peter's inconsiderate, though well-meant, opposition to his Master's will, gave occasion for that solemn declaration, whereby our Lord has made known the universal necessity of submitting to him, and to the method prescribed by him for the salvation of our souls. His words may be applied to every child of man, " If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me :" there is no other way whereby we can obtain a saving interest in Christ : we must be washed in his blood ; and we must be sanctified by his Spirit : " he came not by water only, but by water and blood1 ;" and we must expe- rience the virtue of both, if ever we would participate the blessings of his kingdom.
The vehemence of the same ardent Disciple was yet further overruled for the making known the excellency of Christ's work. When told, that he must submit, he exclaimed, " Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head." Our Lord informed him, that, as a person who has been bathing, needs no more than to wash his feet from the defilement they have contracted in coming from the bath : so they who have been washed by his blood and Spirit, need a partial purification indeed every day and hour, on account of the defilement they contract every step they take in this polluted world ; but they never will need the same universal cleansing as before k, seeing that they are purified from all their former guilt, and are " renewed in the spirit of their minds :" in respect of such an
' ver. 11. B Zech. xiii. 1. h Eph. v. 25, 26.
' 1 John v. 6. k ver. 10.