He was born at Bolton, Lancashire, on 20 April 1653, and baptised at the parish church on 24 April; his father Zachary Taylor the elder (1619-1693) was an ejected minister in 1662, married to Abigail Ward, who became a schoolmaster.
Taylor was appointed vicar of Ormskirk on 9 March 1680, and resigned in 1693, becoming curate to the rector of Wigan.