John Lambert, in standing for Truth, denied that the bread of communion turned into the body of Christ when eaten, as the Catholic doctrine of Transubstantiation thus taught. Such doctrine also put forth the belief that the fruit of the vine, when received at communion, became the literal blood of Jesus as well.

The King: "Answer me neither . . . by the authority of any other; but tell me plainly, whether thou sayest it (the bread) is the body of Christ, or no."

Lambert: ". . . I deny it to be the body of Christ."

After a time of bitter venom spewed out by the king because of Lambert’s denial his execution was ordered.

Of all who had been burned at Smithfield, there was none treated so cruelly as this brother. For, after his legs were burned up to the stumps, his tormentors removed the fire so that only a small flame continued to burn. They stabbed him with their weapons (halberts) and lifted him above the flame. He raised his hands, with his fingertips flaming with fire, and cried unto the people, "None but Christ, none but Christ."

His executioners let him again fall into the flames and there he died a martyr’s death.

Let us not be deceived by the cowardly sermonizers of today who insist that the modern church is more precious than the first church. The road to salvation has been paved with blood: First the blood of Christ, then the blood of His church. If the church of today cannot endure the tribulation, we are not worthy of our calling.[][][][]