Do you seriously imagine there was no heresy prior to the Reformation? Did no assortment of “contradictory sects” exist before Luther came into the scene? Did Catholicism’s monopoly of the Christian faith prevent schisms and sects prior to “Protestantism”?
Do we really want to hear an answer to the above? Before the Reformation the Roman Church "took out" any opposition to the Pope and Magesterium. I guess we as American Protestants and Evangelicals are being asked "why don't you do anything about the false teachers running about the country."
It is programmed in orthodox Romanism to literally eliminate any and all opposition. But here in the US there is something denying them the purging of opposition. It is the Constitution and laws of the land. Early Protestants also used the Roman model. But we don't desire that today. The NT tells us to take up the Word of God to defend the faith not the sword.