essay vs homily

essay

noun
  • A written composition of moderate length, exploring a particular issue or subject. 

  • A proposed design for a postage stamp or a banknote. 

verb
  • To move forth, as into battle. 

homily

noun
  • A sermon, especially concerning a practical matter. 

  • A platitude. 

  • A moralizing lecture. 

adv
  • In a homey manner. 

How often have the words essay and homily occurred in a corpus of books? (source: Google Ngram Viewer )