Nowhere in this quote does he mention individuals taking "defensive" action. nowhere does he mention individual rights. He is not talking about individual states. Mason uses the singular word State meaning a legitimately organized, elected government. All Mason is discussing here is that the "people" (that is the plural, i believe) have the right to mass and form an armed militia to defend their elected government. Colonists had no say in the British government and King George was rightly concerned about an armed insurrection. Masons statement was a response to that condition. Any interpretation that suggests that one individual has the "natural" right to take up arms against an individual or group of people who he/she decides is oppressing him/her is ridiculous. That is the definition of anarchy.