Such indeed are God's rights over us, that He Himself cannot waive them. He need not have created us, but having created us, He must needs claim us as His property. He cannot authorize us to live for any but Himself. Nothing can happen to suspend His claim. We originally belong to God, and all human rights over us must be strictly subordinated to, as flowing from, His ownership and His supremacy.
Human rights perish at death.
We must live under a dispensation of His love or a dispensation of His justice. We can nowhere be independent of Him. We may now and here choose between a free and joyous service, and a punishment which is as certain and as enduring as the being which He has given us. These rights of God over His creatures. . . are confessed by the Church alike on earth and in heaven. In the truth that God has created us, we see much of the meaning of the Psalmist's words.