[The principal points which are at this day in controversy, concerning the holly supper…[The principal points which are at this daye in controuersie, concerning the holly supper…

Chapter .xi.

Of the agreement which is between the signs of the Sacraments and the word of the same, concerning the instruction of man: and of the spiritual communion of them without the bodily in case of necessity.

Of the agreemēt which is between the signes of the Sacraments and the woorde of the same, concerning the instruction of man: and of the spirituall communion of them without the bodily in case of necessitie.

¹And that which I say of preaching and of the word, must be also understood of the Sacraments and of the administration of them, for so much as they do depend of the same, and that they are, as Saint Augustine hath very well said,² as it were a kind of word which is visible and to be felt, and is sensible, the which teacheth men by their eyes, by the mean of the sight, and by the other senses, by the mean of their feelings, as doth the word and the voice by the ears, by the mean of the hearing. From whence ⟨image 76⟩it cometh to pass, that by the mean of the sacraments,³ man is instructed by all his senses, as well exterior as interior, and as well bodily as spiritual, because that they have such as agreement together, that the exterior and bodily senses, are as the messengers and the advertisers of the inward and spiritual senses. Wherefore, seeing that God would that by the mean of his sacraments, that one should help to instruct the others every one in their order and degree, none may then contemn and overthrow that order. Whereupon I do conclude, that the Romaine priests may as well receive the supper for others as for them selves, as they may hear the word of God, & believe & be saved for others, for so much as it must needs be, that every man have all this in his own person.