The Lord Jesus said to Peter, who was not only a lamb of Jesus Christ, but also a faithful shepherd, elder and overseer of the flock: “Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdedst thyself and walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not.” “This spake he,” says John, “signifying by what death he should glorify God.” John 21:18,19. Here no great bishopric, benefice, or yearly stipend is promised to the high apostle Peter, by his master Christ Jesus, for this his faithful service, which he should begin and carry out in watching and feeding the sheep and lambs of the Lord; but much rather tribulation, bonds, and the bitter death with which he should meet. John 16:33; 15:20.
But even as his Master entered through tribulation and suffering into his glory, so it was his will, that his servants should follow his footsteps. This was exemplified, about the year 1550, in the case of one Anthony van Asselroye, a faithful follower of Christ and his chosen apostle Peter. He also bowed his neck under the easy yoke of our Lord Jesus, following him from the whole heart in the regeneration, so that he was chosen by the church of God, to feed and pasture, like Peter, the souls of the sheep of the Lord with the word of God; which he faithfully did in that dark, perilous and bloody time, until he fell into the hands of the blood-thirsty papists, who bound him, and carried him whither he would not; for no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous to the flesh, but grievous. Heb. 12:11.
Thus this teacher and elder was compelled to tread the bloody wine-press, and suffered and endured many torments from these persecutors. And as he patiently passed through all this, and no tyranny could move him to apostatize, he was condemned and put to death, and thus torn and devoured by these ravening wolves, according to the flesh, but in no wise according to the Spirit. But even as this hero and soldier of Jesus Christ obediently followed Christ and his faithful followers, in the faith and the regeneration, so he, at the appearing of the Lord, shall sit with them upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. Matt. 19:28. There he shall receive again, in glorious immortality, like unto the glorious body of our Lord Jesus Christ, the members which he delivered into bitter death, for the truth and the name of the Lord, and shall live with him forever. Philip. 3:21; 1 Thess. 4:17.
Peter Bruynen, who was offered up at Antwerp, A. D. 1551, confesses that he received Christian baptism upon his faith, by said Anthony van Asselroye.