Actually God had true believers during all those years. The Catholic Church martyred many of them as heretics. It was the Catholic Church who barred the reading of scripture by the lay people as much as they could. It wasn’t God who restricted those generations from access to His word. His truth didn’t get “passed over for centuries” regardless of attempts by the RCC. It wasn’t until the ability to mass produce the written word that many of the errors of the RCC were brought to light for a greater number of people. That also brought about the greatest number of true converts to Christ. We are now in the falling away period.
>> Are you saying that the traditions of men thwarted the desire of God that all men be saved?<<
As it did when Jesus rebuked the Pharisees.
Yup.
And I dare to say that one should look for the Church UNDER the blade of the sword, and not holding it. ; )