It has been said that ‘the doctors who composed this council acknowledged as their rule of faith the Confession of Augsburg.’[465] This is not correct; for that Confession did not appear till ten months later (June, 1530). We may imagine that Olaf of his own accord would have presented a similar confession, or one even more decided. This was not done, either because the doctrines established by Olaf at Upsala, in 1526, were looked upon as accepted, or because Gustavus was afraid that such a confession would give rise to dissension, which he so much dreaded. Little was gained by this course; for the struggles which they hoped to avoid began afterwards and disturbed Sweden for five-and-twenty years. [Sidenote: Ecclesiastical Rites.] At length they came to the subject of ecclesiastical rites. Anderson and Olaf would have preferred to suppress those to which superstitious notions were attached. But most of the members of the synod thought that to abolish them would be to suppress the religion of their forefathers. Anderson and Olaf got over the difficulty. They determined to maintain such of the ceremonies as had not a meaning contrary to the Word of God, at the same time giving an explanation of them. ‘We consent to your keeping _holy water_ (_eau lustrale_),’ they said, ‘but it must be plainly understood that it does not wash away our sins, which the blood of Christ alone does,[466] and that it simply reminds of baptism. You wish to keep the _images_, and we will not oppose this; but you must state distinctly that they are not there to be worshipped, but to remind of Christ or of the holy men who have obeyed Him, and of the necessity of imitating their piety and their life. The outward _unction_ of the _chrism_ denotes that the inward unction of the Holy Ghost is necessary for the faithful. _Fasting_ is kept up that the faithful soul may renounce that which gratifies the flesh, and render to God a living worship in the spirit. _Festivals_ likewise are not a kind of special service. They only instruct us that we ought to set apart the time necessary for hearing and reading the Word of God, and for enabling workmen wearied with their toil to taste some repose.’ These concessions were made from a good motive; but were they prudent? The Romish mind, especially when uncultivated, easily lets go the spiritual signification and keeps only the superstitious notions which are attached to the sign. It would have been better to abolish every thing that was of Romish invention and without foundation in Scripture. This was seen at a later period. [Sidenote: Obstacles To Reformation.]