Contarini made wide concessions, later condemned by the Catholics, on the doctrine of justification.

Discussion of the nature of the church, the power of the pope, the invocation of saints, the mass, and sacerdotal celibacy seemed likely to result in some _modus vivendi_.

What finally shattered the hopes of union was the discussion of transubstantiation and the adoration of the host.

As Contarini had found in the statements of the Augsburg Confession no insuperable obstacle to an understanding he was astonished at the stress laid on them by the Protestants now.
[Sidenote: 1542] It is not remarkable that with such results the Diet of Spires should have avoided the religious question and have devoted itself to more secular matters, among them the grant to the emperor of soldiers to fight the Turk.

Of this Diet Bucer wrote "The Estates act under the wrath of God.