105. When the Minister giveth warning for the celebration of the holy Communion, (which he shall always do upon the Sunday, or some Holy-day, immediately preceding), after the Sermon or Homily ended, he shall read this Exhortation following, Dearly beloved, on, &c.
106. Or, in case he shall see the people negligent to come to the holy Communion, instead of the former, he shall use this Exhortation, Dearly beloved brethren, on, &c.
These exhortations are in anticipation of Communions on subsequent occasions, and are clearly distinct from the notice of Communion directed, in the rubric after the creed, to be given before the sermon, since they must come after the sermon. It is very difficult to say whether they should be read before or after the offertory and prayer for the Church Militant. Probably it was intended to group them generally with the sermon, without disturbing the offertory and prayer for the Church Militant.
We have here an example of inconsistency in the rubrics of our Communion Office referred to in the comment on the last rubric, and which is caused by successive attempts at patching (instead of revoking) the alterations made at the revision of 1552.
These two exhortations, with the third, which is appointed for use on the occasion of Communion, form a great feature of the English rite, but are more appropriate when Communions are rare, than when they are frequent. It is, indeed, somewhat inconsistent to use a prospective exhortation on the occasion of the Communion. It is possible that the expression 'warning' may be taken to except cases where the Minister does not consider unusual mention to be imperatively necessary, and at any rate to apply only where notice is given before the sermon.
107. At the time of the celebration of the Communion, the Communicants being conveniently placed for the receiving of the holy Sacrament, the Priest shall say this Exhortation, Dearly beloved in the Lord, &c.
The rubric seems to direct a change of place to be made by the communicants, and indicates, not the general withdrawal of the rest of the congregation, but the separation of the intending communicants into a part of the church by themselves, after the precedent of the Prayer-Book of 1549, which appoints that 'they shall tarry still in the quire, or in some other convenient place nigh to the quire.'
Such a re-disposition of the congregation requires time, and would be the opportunity for the retirement of children, or other persons, who may be unable (especially when a sermon has been preached) to stay for the whole service.
The neglect of this change of place of intending communicants has introduced many difficulties connected with the attendance of those who are not prepared to communicate on the occasion, and with the orderly reception of the Communion.
This exhortation gives opportunity for intending communicants to reconsider their 'mind to come' on that occasion: it throws upon their consciences with accumulated force the individual responsibility of coming to the Lord's Table, which the relaxation of discipline, and the removal of compulsory confession, had rendered doubly important: and it being impossible that a person inadequately prepared can fulfil on the moment the requisites here enumerated for coming duly to the Lord's Table, they have no alternative but to abstain.