“I repeat what I said in reference to the Lord’s Prayer: if in the midst of such thoughts the Holy Spirit begins to preach in your heart with rich, enlightening thoughts, honor him by letting go of this written scheme [that Luther had just outlined for praying the 10 Commandments]; be still and listen to him who can do better than you can. Remember what he says and note it well and you will behold wondrous things in the law of God, as David says [in Psalm 119:18].”  (pages 201-202)

Luther, Martin. “A Simple Way to Pray” (1535) Luther’s Works Vol. 43. Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1969.

This is something I should have known years ago, but here is evidence that Martin Luther advocates stillness and silence in prayer. And, maybe more significantly, of him saying that the Holy Spirit can and does preach directly to us in our hearts. When I went to seminary there were other things in the air, so this never made it to the surface. And note that it isn’t “early Luther” but the fully mature Luther of 1535 saying this!