CHAPTER XVI--YOUNG CAPTAIN SELF-DENIAL.
'If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow Me.'-- _Our Lord_.
'Now the siege was long, and many a fierce attempt did the enemy make upon the town, and many a shrewd brush did some of the townsmen meet with from the enemy, especially Captain Self-denial, to whose care both Ear- gate and Eye-gate had been intrusted.

This Captain Self-denial was a young man, but stout, and a townsman in Mansoul.

This young captain, therefore, being a hardy man, and a man of great courage to boot, and willing to venture himself for the good of the town, he would now and then sally out upon the enemy; but you must think this could not easily be done, but he must meet with some sharp brushes himself, and, indeed, he carried several of such marks on his face, yea, and some on some other parts of his body.' Thus, Bunyan.

I shall now go on to-night to offer you some annotations and some reflections on this short but excellent history of young Captain Self-denial.
1.

Well, to begin with, this Captain Self-denial was still a young man.
'And, now, it comes into my mind, said Goodman Gains after supper, I will tell you a story well worth the hearing, as I think.