Body Unnecessary?

Here’s a statement from one of Calvin’s Theological Treatise (though there is some question whether or not it is actually by him) which I find puzzling:

“In the preaching of the Word, the external minister holds forth the vocal word, and it is received by the ears. [Acts 16:14] The internal minister, the Holy Spirit, truly communicates the thing proclaimed through the Word, that is Christ, to the souls of all who will, so that it is not necessary that Christ or for that matter his Word be received though the organs of the body, but the Holy Spirit effects this union by his secret virtue, by creating faith in us, by which he makes us members of Christ, true God and true man.” (LCC, Calvin’s Theological Treatises, ‘The Ministry of Word and Sacraments’,p173, emphasis added)

Does Calvin really think we receive Christ separately from Word and Sacrament by the Spirit? It would seem the two must be held together and that we receive Christ precisely with our ears and minds as we believe his Word? Perhaps I have misunderstood.

Maybe Calvin wants to say that both for Word and Sacrament there is unity and distinction. Christ is not enclosed by or locally present in his written Word any more than he is in the bread, perhaps?

The questions of with what faculty Christ is received, in what form and manner seem to me to me important ones. Perhaps they are relevant to how a child or a mentally handicapped person, or someone who has never heard the Gospel (!) might or might not receive Christ.