John 13:9

In the third branch of this exposition, upon occasion of Peters running to another extremity, Christ declares what he meant by washing their feet only. In this verse we have Peters proposal, occasioning the explication: He, being afrighted with the former threatning, and (belike) now understanding what Christ meant by this external washing, he is so farre from refusing that Christ should wash his feet, that he offers hands and head, and all to be washed. Whence learn, 1. It is so terrible a thing to be threatned with separation from Christ, that the thoughts thereof will cause a childe of God draw nearer to him, and make him condescend to any thing, rather then admit of that; for, this brake Peters obstinacy, and made him say, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and mine head, before that be. 2. Saints, being sensible of sin, are ready to forget their renewed and justified estate, and to look on themselves as altogether polluted and corrupt; for, this may also be understood as Peters language, when he understood the signification of this washing. In which case, he seeth not only foul feet, but head and hands, and all to be washed, and therefore upon that account, he offers them all to Christ. Which, though Christ clear it to be his mistake, yet it is ofttimes the sad exercise of Saints. 3. It is the great infirmity of Saints, that they run, for most part, upon extreams; And when they leave one extremity, they return not to the right way, but fall on the contrary extremity; for, whether we look to the external action, or signification thereof, Peter did thus erre, first in declining to be washed at all, and then in offering more to be washed then Christ required.