Watts - BX5200 .W3 1813 v.8

496 A BRIEF SCHEME OF ONTOLOGY. Unity is that whereby a thing stands as it were divided in our conceptions from all other things and this unity is either simple or compounded; we say one nosegay as well as one flower, and onefamily as well as one person, and one universe as well as one creature or one atom. See something further concerning unity, simplicity, and multiplicity in chap. XIV. of number. Here we take occasion to treat of the doctrine of union, though perhaps some may call it a relative idea. It is that whereby two or more things either really become one thing, or are considered as one ; this distinguishes union into real and mental. Real union is either natural and necessary, as between the root and the tree; or fortuitous and accidental, as between two apples making a twin ; or designed, and artificial, as be- tween thegraff and the stock, or drugs united to compound a medicine. Again, real union is corporeal, spiritual or human. First, consider corporeal union or union of bodies, whether dry or liquid, which is made by blending, mixing, compounding, by contact, aggregation, colligation, &c. Under this head we may also treat of vital and of inanimate unions of corporeal be- ings. Some of these corporeal unions may communicate proper. . ties, as fire joined to wood, a graft joined to a stock, perfume togarments. :Others do not, as a bundle of dry sticks, or a heap of stones. Secondly, consider spiritual union or union of mincis; which may called either intellectual, .by mutual consciousness of each other's,thoughts, or by agreement in opinion or it is moral by friendship or mutual love ; or supernátural, as it may relate to God,and the sacred themes of revealed religion. Query, How far an union of spirits may arise from a supe- rior spirit assuming an inferior to act by it in the manner of as instrument, or under-agent ? In this there is no real com- munication of properties; yet the same actions may be ascribed to both or to either when united, and the seine properties too by common figures of speech. But this I leave to theological. debate. In the last place consider human union, i. e. the union of an animal body with a spirit to make a man ; and what are the effects of this union,. viz. sensation, imagination, passion, &c. voluntary motions of the body, &c. And let it be noted, that though there be no real communication of properties here, yet there may be a nominal communication of them ; as a rise head-piece, a meagre soul, a prudent body, a heavy genius. Mental Union is when several things really distinct and dif- ferent are considered as one; there are no two beings, nor any

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