all of which, being intended for the benefit of public corporations, are given or paid as the price of liberty and privilege of trade and commerce.  And to this may be added, such necessary instances of self-defense as a person may be obliged to, when maliciously and villanously attacked in his character or goods, by persons perhaps designedly taking advantage of his Christian temper, or profession.  Or when perhaps a person may be maliciously charged with, and prosecuted for crimes not only peculiarly dishonorable to religion, but even capital, as has been the case with some individuals.  In all such cases, self-defense at law becomes necessary before the ordinary courts and judges of any nation, or place of the world whatever, when such defenses are admitted without the formal and explicit acknowledgment of the lawfulness of unjust or usurped authority (when such happens to be in place, as in the instance of Paul’s appeal to Caesar, Acts xxv), or acting any otherwise contrary to justice and charity.  And with regard to the other branch of the sentence where it is observed—­“That a difference ought to made between those things that cannot be had, nor yet the value and equivalent of them, unless the person actually give it,” &c.:  This is sufficiently explained in a paragraph, page 163, near the foot.  Prayers for God’s blessing on any government—­enlisting and bearing arms in their service—­accepting offices and places of power from them—­swearing oaths of fidelity to them, &c.—­are such things as can by no means be got, nor yet the equivalent of them, unless the party actually consents and grants them.  These, therefore, and, such like, are the only instances of action which, the Presbytery judge, do, in their own nature, contain and express a proper and explicit acknowledgment of the lawfulness of that authority which they immediately respect.]