Matthew Poole and continuators on Acts 7:60

60 And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.

A posture used in most earnest Prayers; and if so, he Prayed at least as earnestly for his enemies, as for himself; he praying for them kneeling, and for himself standing.

Do not weigh it, reckon or impute it, that it may not remain against them, to hinder their Conversion; This our Saviour commanded, Matth. 5.44. this he practised, Luke 23.34. And whosoever can thus pray for his enemies, and do good for evil, hath a great evidence that the Spirit of Christ is in him.

He dyed; his Death being thus expressed in that, 1. He dyed quietly, as one fallen into a sleep. 2. Because of his certain hope of the Resurrection. 3. As easily to be raised again by Christ, as one that sleeps is to be awaked by us. 4. It is an ordinary Hebraism to express Death by sleep; which made St. Luke use it amongst them, with whom it was frequently thus expressed.