S. Augustine's admirable example of purity

S. Augustine being asked why he would not dwell with his sister, replied "because they are not my sisters that live with my sister." Without doubt it is evil to behold a woman, worse to speak to her, worst of all to touch her. Therefore Nicetius a very holy priest... very mindful of himself, was afraid to handle so much as the naked bodies of infants. For none he thought could be too wary in this respect, since pleasure is wont to insinuate itself so deceitfully.

http://cathom.blogspot.com/2009/03/important-passages-from-nicetas-or.html

S. Augustin himself (as Possidonius Bishop of Calame writeth of him) would not only not dwel in house with other women, or haue anie familiaritie with them: but not with his owne sister and brother's daughter; not so much in regard of themselues, as of other women that would be coming vnto them.

http://platus.springnote.com/

avoided the sight of women with such determination

He avoided the sight of women with such determination that he would turn another way when he met them in the street, or if he could not do that, would pull down his hat over his eyes and quicken his pace so much that his companion would be obliged to run to keep up with him. But the finest thing was to see him when these meetings occurred in some narrow lane; then he would either turn back, or would flounder through the mud, without caring about getting his clothes dirty and being laughed at as a fool, so that only he might avoid any risk of troubling the purity of his soul.

In Florence one of his religious said to him: "I saw the queen of France today." But he screwed up his eyes and with some severity said to him: "And I would not have moved a step to see a woman." And not only did he avoid looking at women, but he used every possible precaution not to allow them to approach near him; and it was one of his greatest annoyances to have to listen to some lady-benefactress, who perhaps had come to him with a long story about her troubles, to have his advice and comfort.

One day a lady, in order to be heard better, kept trying to get nearer him, but the more she moved on, the more Camillus went back, so that at last they had moved their chairs half across the room.

He would never remain alone with any woman, however holy she might be, and there was no possible means that he would leave untried to prevent their kissing his hand: and if he ever had it kissed unawares, he would then with holy modesty secretly wipe it over and over again on his cloak, to the great astonishment of others.

...

A woman was once waiting at the gate of the Maddalena for Camillus to return, that she might kiss his hand and receive his blessing. When he came, she approached to perform what she intended. But Camillus would not allow her and went to ring the bell, wishing to escape the snare. The good woman saw this and renewed her entreaties with greater warmth. In the meantime the gate was opened, and the Saint leaped in, and covering his face with his right, saying: "God bless you, go in peace," and then he had the door shut directly [immediately] and would not even look at her.

Nor could he endure to see other persons stay to talk with women, and when this occurred with any of his religious, he always rebuked them severely....

He would never allow, either in men or women, any of those vanities in dress which could possibly excite any thought against purity. Thus he spoke very harshly to a young lady, a relative of his, for taking too much care in arranging her hair, and rebuked her father for allowing such idle vanities. Whenever he spoke in church, he blamed the ornaments of the women, and he would not allow his religious to speak of the fashions of dress, saying that, in the matter of chastity, persons ought to have a scruple about the very smallest things, if they wished to preserve it.

...

Nor was it only with others he was thus reserved: but he ever showed himself most scrupulous about his own person: so that when his hair was cut, he would not loosen his collar for fear of displaying his neck; and once when the physician ordered him a bath, when he came out, he caused himself to be covered up, and seeing just the end of his foot uncovered, he told the lay brother to help him to cover it, and showed great anxiety about it.

...

He avoided all places where there was singing, music, or dancing; and while he was in church making mental prayer with his religious, if he heard music or singing in the street, he would shake his head, and spit, and cough, and make noises, to prevent the sounds coming to his own or to his companions' ears.

...He was not satisfied with only rebuking this vice, without giving proper remedies to prevent it. Besides advising persons to avoid every, even the least, occasion of it and to give themselves to prayer, he taught that the flesh is not easily bridled, except by a continual mortification; and he adopted the words of Jesus Christ: "This kind of devil is not cast out but by prayer and fasting." His exhortation was the more efficacious as it was backed by his example; for though his body was already emaciated by his labors and by the pain of his wound, he exercised it with continual fasts, with discipline, hair shirts, and other instruments of penance. And although God had given him the privilege of being free from all temptations of the flesh, so that he felt no evil desires, yet for all this he did not think himself safe, but always stood on his guard, so that he would not even feel the pulse of sick women, unless their hand was covered with the sheet or with their bed-gown.

...although he lived freely as a soldier for some years, yet even then he always kept himself from all impurity, and he felt such disgust at this vice that he could not endure the company of those who were infected with it.

The Life of St. Camillus of Lellis by Father Sanzio Ciccatelli, trans. by Father Frederick Faber.

In their rules on religious modesty he was always most rigorus with regard to himself; whether in dressing or undressing, or in any other action, he was always so modest that he never allowed any part of his body to be seen naked; with regard to others, he was most vigilant and made unexpected visits to the school, the corridors, and the rooms, and if he saw any one not decently clothed, or unbuttoned, or in an improper position, he rebuked him sharply. p. 309

Prayer to St. Aloysius for the virtue of Purity

think you can associate with the female sex without sin

Life of St. Columban

8. For as he was still meditating upon his purpose, he came to the dwelling of a holy and devout woman. He at first addressed her humbly, afterwards he began to exhort her, as far as lay in his power. As she saw the increasing strength of the youth she said : "I have gone forth to the strife as far as it lay in my power. Lo, twelve years have, passed by, since I have been far from my home and have sought out this place of pilgrimage. With the aid of Christ, never since then have I engaged in secular matters; after putting my hand to the plough, I have not turned backward. And if the weakness of my sex had not prevented me, I would have crossed the sea and chosen a better place among strangers as my home. But you, glowing with the fire of youth, stay quietly on your native soil ; out of weakness you lend your ear even against your own will, to the voice of the flesh, and think you can associate with the female sex without sin. But do you recall the wiles of Eve, Adam's fall, how Samson was deceived by Delilah, how David was led to injustice by the beauty of Bathsheba, how the wise Solomon was ensnared by the love of a woman ? Away, O youth ! away ! flee from corruption into which, as you know, many have fallen. Forsake the path which leads to the gates of hell." The youth, trembling at these words, which were such as to terrify a youth, thanked her for her reproaches, took leave of his companions and set out. His mother in anguish begged him not to leave her. But he said : " Hast thou not heard, ' He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me?' " He begged his mother, who placed herself in his way and held the door, to let him go. Weeping and stretched upon the floor, she said she would not permit it. Then he stepped across the threshold and asked his mother not to give way to her grief ; she would never see him again in this life, but wherever the way of salvation led him, there he would go.

Practice of all the Saints, continually to afflict and chastize their bodies

pretend to live chaste amidst softness, ease, and continual gratification of the sense

Medical examinations and modesty

St. Gemma Galgani:

"I never wanted to obey when they wished a doctor to visit me (for I never wanted anyone to touch me or see me.) One evening a doctor came unannounced, examined me by force and found an abscess on my body which he feared was very serious because he thought it had affected my spine.For a long time I had felt pain in that part of my body but I did not want to touch or look at it because when I was a little girl I had heard a priest say: "Our body is the temple of the Holy Spirit." Those words had struck me and led me to guard my body as closely as possible. After he had visited me the doctor called a consultant. What affliction it caused me, dear Father, to have to uncover myself. Every time the doctor touched me I cried. After the consultation I grew steadily worse and I was forced to go to bed and was not able to move. Every remedy was used on me but instead of helping me they made me worse. While I was in bed I was ill at ease and a source of annoyance to all.The second day I was in bed I was not at peace and I wrote to Monsignor telling him that I wanted to see him. He came at once and I made a general confession, not indeed because I was so bad off but to regain peace of conscience which I had lost. After confession my peace with Jesus returned and as a sign of this, on that same evening I experienced a very deep sorrow for my sins.Then, dear Father, the pain became worse and worse and the doctors decided to operate on me (in that part of which I have spoken). Three doctors came (and what I suffered from the pain was as nothing). I felt pain and suffering only when I found myself in their presence almost entirely unclothed. Dear Father, how much better it would have been for me to die! Finally the doctors saw that all remedies were useless and they gave me up entirely. After that they came to see me only now and then through courtesy, so to speak."

Later, when Gemma was given the extraordinary grace of the Stigmata along with frequent ecstasies, her Confessor Monsignor Volpi requested that Doctors examine Gemma while in ecstasy, and also the stigmata, in hopes to document and authenticate their veracity. Concerning this, Gemma writes in her autobiography-

"Meanwhile the Friday occurrences continued and Monsignor thought it well to have a doctor visit me during one of them without my knowing it. But Jesus warned me saying: "Tell your confessor that in the presence of the doctor I will do none of the things that he desires." Following the advice of Jesus I told my confessor about this but he did as he had planned, and events turned out as Jesus had said, as you already know."

St. Paul of the Cross:

There is no doubt of St. Paul's being always spotless in purity. His maxims on the point of treating with the opposite sex deserves attention. "As long as our bones are covered with skin, there is reason to be afraid." He states that many persons, advanced in years, even though meritorious in most walks of life, have fallen into sins for want of caution. Beautiful and practical were the rules laid down for the custody of this virtue. His advise to priests and religious was: Let your conversation with ladies be brief and stiff. One fruit seen everywhere the saint had been was that his penitents could be distinguished from their companions by their modesty in dress and deportment. He performed miracles more than once to save female modesty from the surgeon's knife and many were deprived of his friendship because they would not come up to his standards of decorum.

St. Vincent de Paul:

Not looking at the mirror

Spiritual Bouquet: Everyone who has left house, or brothers, or sisters, or father, or mother or wife, or children, or lands, for My Name's sake and for the Gospel's sake, shall receive now in the present time a hundredfold -- along with persecutions, and in the age to come life everlasting. St. Matthew 19:29/St. Mark 10:29-30

SAINT JULIANA FALCONIERI
Virgin
(1270-1340)

Saint Juliana Falconieri was born in 1270, in answer to prayer. Her father was the builder of the splendid church of the Annunziata in Florence, while her uncle, Saint Alexis Falconieri, became one of the seven Founders of the Servite Order. Under his surveillance Juliana grew up “more like an angel than a human being,” as he said. Her great modesty was remarkable; never during her entire lifetime did she look at her reflection in a mirror. The mere mention of sin made her shudder and tremble, and once, on hearing of a scandal, she fainted.

[Similar example of St. Gemma Galgani: As she advanced in years, her love of the angelic virtue of purity and her desire to preserve it without spot grew with her. This was a special object of her mortifications, penances and the custody of her senses. It seemed to her that any liberty, however innocent and insignificant it may be, might discolor this beautiful flower, and so as to avoid this she took every precaution. She never went near a mirror, not even to do her hair or wipe away the stains of blood that flowed from her forehead when crowned with mystic thorns, or to wipe the blood from her eyes during her dolorous contemplation. And when during impulses of Divine love, her heart took fire and burned the corresponding exterior part of her skin, and when by a dart of fire from the side of Jesus Crucified she felt a large wound open in her side; and when her heart itself by its mysterious throbbings greatly distorted and curved three of her ribs, although ignoring at first what such phenomena meant, she refrained from looking at or touching herself, and never did so on the frequent renewal of these various wonders. http://www.stgemmagalgani.com/2009/04/st-gemmas-heroic-chastity-and-purity.html ]

Her devotion to the sorrows of Our Lady drew her to the Servants of Mary or Servite Order, and at the age of fourteen, after refusing an offer of marriage, she received the habit from Saint Philip Benizi, General of the Order. Her sanctity attracted many novices, for whose direction she was bidden to draw up a rule, and thus she became foundress of the Mantellate.

She was the servant of her Sisters rather than their mistress, while outside her convent she led a life of apostolic charity, converting sinners, reconciling enemies, and healing the sick. She was sometimes rapt for whole days in ecstasy, and her prayers saved the Servite Order when it was in danger of being suppressed.

Saint Juliana in her old age suffered various painful illnesses. She was wasting away through a disease of the stomach which prevented her taking food, and bore her silent agony with constant cheerfulness, grieving only for the privation of Holy Communion. At last, when in her seventieth year she was at the point of death, she begged to be allowed once more to see and adore the Blessed Sacrament. It was brought to her cell and reverently laid on a corporal, which was placed over her heart. At this moment she expired, and the Sacred Host disappeared. After her death the form of the Host was found stamped upon her heart, at the exact spot over which the Blessed Sacrament had been placed. Saint Juliana died in her convent in Florence in 1340. Miracles have been frequently effected through her intercession.

Reflection. “Meditate often,” says Saint Paul of the Cross, “on the sorrows of the Blessed Mother, sorrows inseparable from those of Her beloved Son. If you seek the Cross, there you will find the Mother; and where the Mother is, there also is the Son.”

Source: Little Pictorial Lives of the Saints, a compilation based on Butler’s Lives of the Saints, and other sources by John Gilmary Shea (Benziger Brothers: New York, 1894).

cover the head at all times

The Wonders of God in the Wilderness Or, The Lives of the Most Celebrated Saints of the Oriental Desarts; Faithfully Collected Out of the Genuine Works of the Holy Fathers, and Other Ancient Ecclesiastical Writers By Richard Challoner: ""

avoid even the remote occasion of sin such as looking in the face, saluting with affection

Preaching by St. Alphonsus de Liguori

St. Francis of Assisi, speaking of persons who have the fear of God, gives an excellent advice concerning remote occasions: he says that for persons who fear to lose God, the devil, in the occasions, does not at first excite them to grave faults; he begins by attaching them with a hair, which afterwards, in time, may through his suggestions become a chain, and he thus succeeds in dragging them into mortal sin. Hence in our relations with persons of the other sex, we should take care to break off from the beginning every kind of attachment, however feeble it may be, by avoiding even the remote occasions, such as looking them in the face, saluting them with affection, receiving notes or presents from them, and much more, saying tender words to them.

excerpt from the life of St. Aloysius

The life of st. Aloysius Gonzaga: ""

important passages from Nicetas or the Triumph over Incontinency

http://strobertbellarmine.net/books/ERL173--Drexelius--Nicetas.pdf

p. 61

There are some that pull out their eye, when it is somewhat wanton, but do not cast it from them. [That is, does not eliminate the occasions of sin] Now and then they shun luxury, but avoid not the occasions thereof. That chaste Ioseph did not so, who not content with pulling out his eye did also cast it from him. Did not only contemn as well favors as threats of his mistress, but deceived he likewise: for she going about to attract him with most flattering importunities, he cast off his garment and fled away. How many chaste men have not only pulled out, but also cast from them their over curious and betraying eyes, so that they would not so much as abide the sight of their own mothers or sisters.
...S. Lucy that most religious virgin attempted an exploit never heard of in former Ages, and not much inferior to this of our Nicetas. She understood that a certain dishonest lover (namely the king of great Brittany) had drawn infectious flames from her eyes. Whereupon she said: Is the kind of Brittany so much set on fire with mine eyes? doth he take such pleasure in them? well, he shall have them. Straight way she pulled both these bright stars from their heavenly spheres; drew forth both her eyes, and sent them for a token to her wooer; choosing rather her eyes should perish than herself. Did not she with most courageous sincerity observe the law of our Lord: Pull it out and cast it from thee? Did she not pull it out? did she not cast from her, not one only, but both her eyes; yea though they were guiltless; not for that they had sinned by seeing, but let by being seen they might entice others to sin? A true lover of chastity, she punishes her eyes with holy blindness, will neither see or be seen.

p. 77
S. Bernadine ... was so modest from his very childhood, that as often as he heard any such like unseemly word, he would change his color as if one had given him a blow on the face.

p. 90

...it is better to have the hatred than the company of evil men. There is no vicious man but either will commend his vice unto us, make an impression of it in us, or before we are aware, infect us therewith. There are some vices commended by example, others imprinted by speech, and very many by conversation inserted in our hearts. It is the safest course to beware of all those companions and to break with them as speedily as you can. He that continues near danger cannot long be safe; and who loves danger shall perish therein.

Certain little creatures (as says Phedeon) are not perceived when they bite, so weak are they and unable to effect what they intended: the swelling only discovers the malignity of their sting. The same for the most part happens to all men in their conversation with wicked persons; they find the mischief, but apprehend not how or when they were damnified. Therefore S. Paul severely forbidding us, says: Keep not company with fornicators. I write unto you that you should not so much as take meat with these kind of people. Therefore you must be circumspect beforehand with whom you eat or drink before you eat or drink anything. "Know you not (saith he) that a little leaven corrupts the whole batch." It has been so in all Ages; with him that is perverse thou shalt be perverted. Salomon in the person of a father wisely admonishes us: "My son if sinners shall entice thee, condescend not unto them: if they shall say come with us etc., cast in thy lot with us; let there be but one purse to us all; my son walk not with them, stay thy food from their paths; for their feet run to evil."...Thou must of necessity either imitate or reprove a dissolute companion. It is best for thee to avoid both, lest thou shalt find great store of wicked men everywhere. Converse therefore with them that will make thee better than thou art; admit them whom thou may benefit, or be benefited by. ...S. Basil condemns familiarity with women; not because they are evil, but because their familiarity is dangerous. "We must endeavor (saith he) to avoid all communication with women." ...It is much better to renounce familiarity with our friend than with Christ, and rather make shipwreck of friendship than our soul.

p. 330
Oftentimes by a light touch no small dishonestly hath ensued. S. Augustine being asked why he would not dwell with his sister, replied "because they are not my sisters that live with my sister." Without doubt it is evil to behold a woman, worse to speak to her, worst of all to touch her. Therefore Nicetius a very holy priest... very mindful of himself, was afraid to handle so much as the naked bodies of infants. For none he thought could be too wary in this respect, since pleasure is wont to insinuate itself so deceitfully.

The Life of Ven. Gabriel of Our Lady of Sorrows (Gabriel Possenti) of the Congregation of the Passion By Hyacinth Hage: ""

shunned the sight of a woman as others would that of a venomous serpent

Life of Bl. John Ancina

He shunned the sight of a woman as others would that of a venomous serpent; and in fact he esteemed the danger of dealing with women so great that he had the greatest difficulty in accepting the charge of hearing confessions.

This strict and rigorous custody of his senses was so pleasing to God that he rewarded it by keeping Juvenal free during the whole course of his life from all temptations against purity; and, moreover, bestowed upon him the grace to live and die a virgin. This he himself admitted, attributing it entirely to the goodness of God. The purity of his soul shone forth even externally, for F. Maurizio da Pinarolo, a Capuchin Father, who knew him well, said of him, " that his words, his works, and even his very shadow inspired devotion in all who beheld him."

God bestowed also upon his virginal flesh the gift he had granted to his father St Philip—namely, that of giving forth a sweet and heavenly fragrance. And like St Philip also, he could detect the sin of impurity by its stench.

avoid using words that may suggest evil thoughts

St. Vincent de Paul

He even refrained from the use of any expression which, though proper and becoming, might yet inspire the slightest evil thought. The word chastity was too expressive for his sensitiveness, because it suggested the thought of the contrary vice, and he preferred the more comprehensive term of purity. If he had occasion to speak of any fallen creature he designated her crime only by the vague expressions of weakness and misfortune, in order to remove all impure imagination, and herself he never termed other than fallen creature.

Pure as an angel, and so confirmed in grace that he no longer felt the sting of the flesh, he, nevertheless, made use of all the precautions of a man still subject to the assault of corrupt nature. We have told of his mortification. Who will describe his subjugation of the senses, particularly of his eyes, which he never fixed on any woman?

St. Charles Borromeo:

he kept himself so far from every stain that he could not bear to hear anything like an impure word uttered, in order to avoid the risk of any taint. If he was obliged to speak upon such subjects, he never allowed an impure word to pass his lips, but used circumlocution where he could, or Latin words, and would have others do the same. On one occasion when a religious who was employed in some office about him, in explaining a certain case not only mentioned persons but also the sins in common terms without any respect whatever, he reproved his want of delicacy, and dismissed him from the office he held, and desired his superiors to admonish him.

curled ringlets of girls are hellish cords

The Life of Saint Rose of Lima By Jean Baptiste Feuillet, Leonhard Hansen, Antonio González de Acuña, Frederick William Faber: ""

Purity of St. Joseph of Copertino.

Purity of St. Joseph of Copertino.

In his love for purity, and in order to lead others to esteem it, he was wont to say that a pure soul was like a crystal vase, beautifully polished and filled with fresh, clear water, which everybody prizes in the time of heat; but if only a single drop of oil were poured in, the whole mass of water would become an object of disgust. With a like purpose he admonished all by word and example to flee every danger threatening this virtue. Only when obedience required it, would he associate with persons of the other sex. He was wont to say: "It is a dangerous thing to associate with women, who but harm him who wishes to belong to God. One must avoid them and associate with them only when obedience demands."

God rewarded his spotless purity by granting him the power to free those who were molested by temptations against chastity,--at times by the use of some object, at other times by mere words. A youth who was suffering from a very grievous temptation was freed on girding himself with the girdle of the saint. A Turk who had been recently converted to the Catholic faith complained to the saint of more vehement temptations than he had ever had before. Joseph replied that this was due to the fact that formerly his false religion had not forbidden impurity and that the devil does not strive to secure control of what he already possesses. [devil does not feel the need to tempt one already in his hands]. From that time on the man felt freed from these temptations and confirmed in the Catholic faith.

The most certain and miraculous evidence, however, of the saint's angelical purity was this, that he perceived a stench emanating from the bodies of incontinent persons, and that his own body exhaled an exceedingly pleasant odor which was noticed by others.

Saint Joseph of Copertino, by Fr. Angelo Pastrovicchi. pg. 58-59.

Courtship often can be proximate occasion of sin

Preaching by St. Alphonsus de Liguori

Finally, some one may ask whether it is a mortal sin to make love. What can I say? Ordinarily speaking, I say that persons who give themselves up to love-making are scarcely free from the proximate occasion of sinning mortally. Experience shows that few of them are exempt from grievous sins. If they do not commit mortal sin in the beginning of their courtship, they will in the course of time very easily fall into it: for at first they speak together through a predilection for each other's conversation; this predilection afterwards grows into a passion; when the passion has taken root, it blinds the mind, and precipitates the soul into a thousand sins of bad thoughts, of immodest words, and, in the end of sinful acts. Cardinal Pico de la Mirandola, bishop of Albano, forbade the confessors of his diocese to absolve those lovers who, after being duly admonished, continued to hold long conversations together, particularly if they should be alone, or if the conversations should be of great length, or clandestine, or by night. "But, Father," some of them will say, "I have no bad intention. I have not even bad thoughts." Young men and young girls, avoid these amatory conversations with persons of a different sex. In the beginning the devil does not suggest bad thoughts, but when the affection has taken root it will not allow you to see the evil you do; and almost without knowing how, you will find that you have lost your soul, your God, and your honor. Oh! how many innocent young persons does the devil gain in this way!

Sermons of St. Alphonsus de Liguori:

Sermon "On Bad Thoughts":

Some young men will ask: Father, is it sinful to make love? I say: I cannot assert that of itself it is a mortal sin: but persons who do so are often in the proximate occasion of mortal sin; and experience shows that few of them are found free from grievous faults. It is useless for them to say that they neither had a bad motive nor bad thoughts. This is an illusion of the devil; in the beginning he does not suggest bad thoughts; but when, by frequent conversations together, and by frequently speaking of love, the affection of these lovers has become strong, the devil will make them blind to the danger and sinfulness of their conduct, and they shall find that, without knowing how, they have lost their souls and God by many sins of impurity and scandal. Oh! how many young persons of both sexes does the devil gain in this way! And of all those sins of scandal God will demand an account of fathers and mothers, who are bound, but neglect, to prevent these dangerous conversations. Hence, they are the cause of all these evils, and shall be severely chastised by God for them.

Above all, in order to avoid bad thoughts, men must abstain from looking at women, and females must be careful not to look at men. I repeat the words of Job which I have frequently quoted: I made a covenant with my eyes that I should not so much as think upon a virgin. he says that he made a covenant with his eyes that he would not think. What have the eyes to do with thinking? The eyes do not think; the mind alone thinks. But he had just reason to say that he made a covenant with his eyes that he would not think on women; for St. Bernard says that through the eyes the darts of impure love, which kills the soul, enter into the mind." Hence the Holy Ghost says: Turn away thy face from a woman dressed up. It is always dangerous to look at young persons elegantly dressed; and to look at them purposely, and without a just cause, is, at least, a venial sin.

necessary to abstain from looking at females

13. As to the flight of dangerous occasions, St. Philip
Neri used to say that cowards that is, they who fly
from the occasions gain the victory. Hence you must,
in the first place, keep a restraint on the eyes, and must
abstain from looking at young females. Otherwise, says
St. Thomas, you can scarcely avoid the sin. "Luxuria
vitari vix protest nisi vitatur aspectus mulieris pulchrae."
(S. Thom. 1, 2, qu. 167, a. 2.) Hence Job said : " I
made a covenant with my eyes, that I would not so much
as think upon a virgin" (xxxi. 1). He was afraid to
look at a virgin ; because from looks it is easy to pass to
desires, and from desires to acts. St. Francis de Sales
used to say, that to look at a woman does not do so
much evil as to look at her a second time. If the devil
has not gained a victory the first, he will gain the second
time. And if it be necessary to abstain from looking at
females, it is much more necessary to avoid conversation
with them. "Tarry not among women." (Eccl. xlii. 12.)
We should be persuaded that, in avoiding occasions of
this sin, no caution can be too great. Hence we must
be always fearful, and fly from them. "A wise man
feareth and declineth from evil ; a fool is confident."
(Prov. xiv. 16.) A wise man is timid, and flies away;
a fool is confident, and falls.

--St. Alphonsus, Sermon on Impurity
http://www.archive.org/stream/sermonsforallsun00liguuoft/sermonsforallsun00liguuoft_djvu.txt

Sermon on bad thoughts:

Above all, in order to avoid bad thoughts, men must abstain from looking at women,
and females must be careful not to look at men.
I repeat the words of Job which I have frequently quoted: I made a
covenant with my eyes that I should not so much as think upon a virgin.
he says that he made a covenant with his eyes that he would not think.
What have the eyes to do with thinking? The eyes do not think; the mind
alone thinks. But he had just reason to say that he made a covenant
with his eyes that he would not think on women; for St. Bernard says
that through the eyes the darts of impure love, which kills the soul,
enter into the mind." Hence the Holy Ghost says: Turn away thy face
from a woman dressed up. It is always dangerous
to look at young persons elegantly dressed; and to look at them
purposely, and without a just cause, is, at least, a venial sin.

St. Cyprian on make up

Has God willed that wounds should be made in the ears, wherewith infancy, as yet innocent, and unconscious of worldly evil, may be put to pain, that subsequently from the
scars and holes of the ears precious beads may hang, heavy, if not by their
weight, still by the amount of their cost? All which things sinning and
apostate angels put forth by their arts, when, lowered to the contagious of
earth, they forsook their heavenly vigour. They taught them also to paint
the eyes with blackness drawn round them in a circle, and to stain the
cheeks with a deceitful red, and to change the hair with false colours, and
to drive out all truth, both of face and head, by the assault of their own corruption.

15. And indeed in that very matter, for the sake of the fear which
faith suggests to me, for the sake of the love which brotherhood requires,
I think that not virgins only and widows, but married women also, and all
of the sex alike, should be admonished, that the work of God and His
fashioning and formation ought in no manner to be adulterated, either with
the application of yellow colour, or with black dust or rouge, or with any
kind of medicament which can corrupt the native lineaments. God says, "Let
us make man in our image and likeness; and does any one dare to alter and
to change what God has made? They are laying hands on God when they try to
re-form that which He formed, and to transfigure it, not knowing that
everything which comes into being is God's work, everything that is changed
is the devil's If any artist, in painting, were to delineate in envious
colouring the countenance and likeness and bodily appearance of any one;
and the likeness being now painted and completed, another person were to
lay hands on it, as if, when it was already formed and already painted, he,
being more skilled, could amend it, a serious wrong and a just cause of
indignation would seem natural to the former artist. And do you think
yourself likely with impunity to commit a boldness of such wicked temerity,
an offence to God the artificer? For although you may not be immodest among
men, and are not unchaste with your seducing dyes, yet when those things
which belong to God are corrupted and violated, you are engaged in a worse
adultery. That you think yourself to be adorned, that you think your hair
to be dressed, is an assault upon the divine work, is a prevarication of
the truth.

http://www.ewtn.com/library/PATRISTC/ANF5-10.TXT