Expositio super symbolum Nicenum
Alan of Lille (1120–1202)
A commentary on the Nicene Creed by Alan.
Prologus I: Expositio super symbolum Nicenum.
Caput I: Credo in unum Deum.
Caput II: Patrem.
Caput III: Omnipotentem.
Caput IV: Factorem caeli et terrae, visibilium omnium et invisibilium.
Caput V: Et in unum Dominum.
Caput VI: Iesum Christum.
Caput VII: Filium Dei unigenitum.
Caput VIII: Et ex Patre natum ante omnia saecula.
Caput IX: Deum de Deo, lumen de lumine, Deum verum de Deo vero.
Caput X: Genitum, non factum.
Caput XI: Consubstantialem Patri.
Caput XII: Per quem omnia facta sunt.
Caput XIII: Qui propter nos homines et propter nostram salutem descendit de caelis.
Who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven.
Behold the first article which turns upon the incarnation of Christ. This is said against the heretics who said that the human race would necessarily be saved even if Christ did not come in the flesh. Hence, so that it may be shown for what purpose Christ came in the flesh, namely for the salvation of the human race, it is added:
And for our salvation.
This too is said against the heretics who said that Christ came into the world not only to redeem man, but also the demon, and thus that Christ suffered twice: once on earth for man, once in the air for the demon.
Came down from heaven.
That the Son of God came down from heaven is nothing other than that he, who was only of the divine nature, was made of the human; while being invisible, he was made visible. For by "heaven" is understood the immensity of the divine nature.