i played "for the glory" before, but I found this different with eu1.09, the stable cost is different, and many other things change
still, the eu2 is my best like until today.
In FtG you can modify the stability costs for each religion in religions.txt so you can alter that if you don´t like the stability cost.
#stability_cost = X.XX Cost of each not state religion province of this religion when computing global stability cost (default is 25.00 if not specified). Cost is doubled for predominant state religions if the religion of the province is not in the same religious group.
Edit:
And for your first question about population growth - you can modify that in FtG too:
_PROV_POPGRWTH_COT_ = 5.0 #Positive
_PROV_POPGRWTH_COTN_ = 2.0 #Positive
_PROV_POPGRWTH_MANUFACTORY_ = 2.0 #Positive
_PROV_POPGRWTH_CITYRIGHTS_ = 1.0 #Positive
_PROV_POPGRWTH_COLONY_ = 5.0 #Positive
_PROV_POPGRWTH_ENEMY_ = -15.0 #Negative
_PROV_POPGRWTH_SIEGE_ = -5.0 #Negative
_PROV_POPGRWTH_OCCU_ = -3.0 #Negative
_PROV_POPGRWTH_LOOTED_ = -5.0 #Negative
_PROV_POPGRWTH_MINIMUM_ = -14.0 #Negative
_PROV_POPGRWTH_STAB_ = 4.0 #Positive